


Another Road

by mezamun



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst with a Happy Ending, Coming of Age, F/M, Minor Original Character(s), Pokemon Battle, Pokemon Journey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-05
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-04-19 05:03:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 71,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4733726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mezamun/pseuds/mezamun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fighting hard to make it to the top in the Lily of the Valley Conference, Ash faced off against a mysterious trainer, putting an end to his attempt and leaving him in the top 4. Disappointed with losing yet another tournament, Ash, along with Pikachu, decides to take a new approach to growing stronger. With that, the eternal duo resume their bid for victory!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Catching a new groove

**Author's Note:**

> For everyone who's been a bit disappointed with how the pokemon anime and Ash have been handled, this is for you!
> 
> This story had its origins with those exact feelings; you know the drill, Ash is often handled in an inconsistent manner, he's made stagnant, can't grow older, can't truly progress or win a league. I got tired of that, and wanted to see him do something better, and give those imposed limitations a great big Thunderbolt. If you want a new, yet nostalgic journey, personal growth, new perils, and thrilling battles, please check out Another Road! You won't regret it!
> 
> Additionally, feedback is very appreciated! If you'd like to see more of this story, you can check it out under the same name on fanfiction.net; or better yet, leave a comment saying so and I'll be happy to update the story here!

Thanks for taking your time to check out this fic! Reviews and feedback are appreciated, and if you have any questions, we’ll be happy to answer! In addition, fanart should be accompanying many moments in this fic, so please check out its blog, if you get the chance? An illustration for the first chapter should be posted here. <http://another-rxad.tumblr.com/post/128413291662>  
We hope you enjoy the story!

* * *

 Here he was again.

He stood atop the lush green hills overlooking the beautiful hamlet that was known as Pallet Town. Once again, Ash Ketchum was home. Onyx eyes radiated with fondness for the sight, his lips curved into an eager smile that practically spread cheek to cheek.

"It's Pallet Town. Let's go, Pikachu!"  The boy chanted before running off towards his home, met by an eager cheer from the mouse perched atop his shoulder, Ash's best friend and number one partner. He, much like his trainer, was thrilled to be back home.

After a short run from just outside town, which had been made just a bit more difficult because Ash was carrying bags full of gifts, they had arrived at the cozy two story home. It sported a vibrant pink coat of paint and a small garden in the front to complete the welcoming image. He'd found his way to the door, eager to ring the doorbell, only to realize both of his hands were occupied. "Uh, Pikachu? Could ya get that for me?"

Pikachu reached out without hesitation, pressing his paw against the doorbell adorning the front entrance to the home. Now all they had to do was wait not-so-patiently for the one they could always count on to give them a warm welcome.

* * *

The wait would not be long for Ash and his partner Pikachu. In almost the exact moment they rang the doorbell, the door swung open. Standing in front of the door was none other than Delia Ketchum, Ash’s loving mother.

"Ash, my goodness, you're back!" The mother exclaimed, pulling her son into a giant loving hug. "I know you are a growing boy who loves to be on the road, but that doesn't stop me from worrying about you!" Before Ash knew it, he was crushed between her arms, struggling to get breath from his lungs. "Mom, I... can't... breathe..!" Upon hearing this, she let go, allowing Ash to regain his bearings.

The teen exhaled, finally managing to catch his breath. "Well... I'm home, Mom!" He entered the living room, stopping in his tracks when none of them seemed to follow. He turned back, spotting his mother still standing at the door, eyes peering around for some figure that wasn't going to show up.

"Uh, who're you looking for, Mom?"

"I was expecting Dawn to be here! Your friends usually stop by here after your adventures.” At least, that was the pattern that the matriarch was used to.

The trainer frowned at the question, his shoulders slumping as he went on to explain. "She was, but her Buneary got a modeling offer the day we were going to leave, so she decided to stay." It was quite the disappointment, really. Showing Dawn around Kanto would have really been something to look forward to.

"Aw, that’s a shame." Noticing that her son seemed a little down, she went on to suggest something to lift his spirits. "Why don't we talk about your adventures over dinner?" And, suddenly, Ash's stomach growled loudly in response.

"Sounds great, Mom! I'm starving!" He ran off into the dining room in the blink of an eye, leaving a stunned Delia and Pikachu behind.

"Some things never change," Delia conceded with a smile as she went on to the kitchen.

"Pikachu," the mouse muttered as he shook his head in disbelief.

In typical Delia fashion, the young woman put a meal together in nearly no time at all, adorning the kitchen table with a variety of fruit, rice balls galore, and a bowl of nice, hot soup for the gluttonous teen. Ash didn't waste a second in sitting down, scarfing down one morsel after another, nearly leaving Delia and Pikachu speechless. Indeed, Ash hadn't changed a bit.

* * *

 

"This ish sho ghud!" Ash praised with a mouth full of food, still whole-heartedly stuffing his face.

"Ash Ketchum, what have I told you about talking with your mouth full!" The mother's expression creased into a frown--one that didn't hold for long. It'd been so long since she'd seen him; how could she possibly stay mad? It wasn't worth dwelling on, so she went on as he downed his meal. "So, Ash, would you like to tell me about your adventures? I'm sure there's tons of wonderful things I haven't heard yet!"

The boy downed another large portion, eyes lighting up at various memories of Sinnoh running through his mind. Surprisingly, it was even enough to make him drop his fork to speak! "Oh, sure! Sinnoh was awesome! As soon as I got there, Team Rocket managed to get a hold of Pikachu... But, Dawn ended up saving him, and we traveled together with Brock!"

A nostalgic smile found its way to Ash's face as his mind flashed with many memories of the two. They'd shared so much together, just like him and his other friends. "Watching Dawn perform in contests was really cool... We even came up with some strategies together!" He balled his hands up into fists at shoulder level, eyes sparkling in marvel over the work they'd put in together. The counter shield, Ice Aqua Jet, the spin technique... "All of it helped me out a lot, when it really came down to it! And, Brock figured out something for himself, too! He helped save a ship full of pokemon, and decided he was going to study to become a Pokemon Doctor!” He proudly proclaimed, thrilled that one of his closest friends had found a new path.

Delia's two hands clasped together, a bright smile on her lips. That whole adventure sounded so exciting! "Aw, that’s great to hear! I always knew Brock would end up doing something special. And you and Dawn sounded like quite the team! Oh, and your battles? How were they?" With all of her faith in her son, it was hard to imagine they were anything short of incredible.

Once again, a smile spread from cheek to cheek. "Sinnoh had some of the best trainers I've ever seen! The Gym Leaders gave me a heck of a hard time. But, someone I met there was even tougher than them! This guy, Paul, he ended up being my rival. When I met him, he was a huge jerk, but he's got one of the toughest battling styles I've ever seen. It took me all the way until the Sinnoh League for me to finally take him down!"

The language Ash was using was something easy to notice. Speaking of taking someone down wasn't like him. "It sounds like he was a real challenge! But, I always knew you could do it, honey!" As quickly as her smile came though, it faded. "Still, I really wish I could have seen your matches! I was busy with the restaurant, but I'd love to hear all about them!"

"The tournament was going great," Ash started. "I beat our friend Nando in the first round, and this guy named Conway in the second. Him and Paul both had perfect streaks when I got to 'em. My pokemon and I were really on the ball! I made it to the top four!" A statement of pride, to be certain. He had never made it that far in a league before.

"...But." His tone became somber, a warning to Pikachu who had seen it all play out. "In that round, I faced this guy named Tobias...  I heard that he used the legendary Pokemon, Darkrai! They said through the whole Sinnoh League, he used it alone to win every single match!" Thinking back on those few days at Lily of the Valley... It was hard to forget what he'd felt--the sensation of his heart racing in anticipation of facing something so powerful; wondering whether he'd be able to take home the cup or not in face of such overwhelming odds.

"I fought them, and he took out three of my Pokemon just using Darkrai. They all did great, but he was just too much... Sceptile managed to beat it, though! I was the first one to ever beat his Darkrai!" Ash was practically glowing over this fact alone. Not only had he taken down an unbeatable Pokemon, but a legendary one!

The second half of the story, however, was a bit more sobering. A drop in his tone made that clear. "...But, then he sent out a Latios. Another legendary Pokemon. Sceptile and Swellow went down, too. Pikachu here," Ash added, scratching the mouse behind his ear, "pretty much managed to beat Latios all by himself! He really hung in there... After he went down though, that was all six Pokemon. So that was the end of that."

Sensing the gloom in Ash's tone, Delia was quick to put on a reassuring smile. "Sorry, sweetie... Oh, but you did so well all the way to the end! I'm sure no one else would have gotten as far as you did!" It was all she could do to keep a proud mother's tears from welling up in her eyes. Her son had really come so far as a trainer... "You've gone from trying to tame a Pikachu to going toe to toe with legends themselves! So you better be proud of yourself, mister!" And that wasn't just reassurance. That was a mother's order!

The rest of the day went on smoothly. Ash spoke more and more of his adventures, including each of his Pokemon he'd befriended. Infernape's story had been quite the tale! But soon, Ash tired. All of the excitement piled on constant traveling had left the young, aspiring master worn out. The sun had set and a loud yawn left the boy's mouth.

"Well it seems like it's been a long day for you, Ash. Why don't you head upstairs and get some rest?" Delia chided in a typical motherly fashion. "And, don't forget to brush your teeth, mister!"

Normally, Ash would have complained and dragged his feet. But, he was just happy to be home. "Yeah, I will." With a childish tone and a smile, he carried himself upstairs with Pikachu in tow.

After the menial tasks that Delia had told him to do, Ash pulled the door open to his room, nostalgia flooding his senses at the sight of every adornment and trophy. It was like a Pokemon fanatic's dream. And, as much as he wanted to marvel at every sight... He was exhausted. The bed creaked and squeaked when it was met with the force of Ash hopping onto it. His eyes then turned up towards the ceiling. "Well, I guess I'm home," he remarked, to no one in particular.

* * *

 

The same four walls surrounded him once more: those covered with Pokemon merchandise and memorabilia, trophies and badges. It was nostalgic, welcoming, to a traveler like him. He could always come back here after one of his adventures. His room was charming, really… filled with the sky-high dreams of a child who would let nothing get in his way.

That was Ash’s attitude, through and through. But, each time he came back… Each time he’d fallen a little short, each time he’d come home only to head onto the next region. And, as those visits piled up, he felt a bit more scared each time--a bit more frustrated about his losses, but his youthful spirit and determination allowed him to brush it off.

This time, however… he had come to the top four, closer than he had ever been to winning a regional league. And, his hopes were crushed by the mysterious trainer, Tobias. It was frustrating. The match kept replaying in his head as he stared blankly at the ceiling above his bed. Arms folded behind his head with Pikachu huddled up beside him, the electric type’s head rested against the boy’s chest.

_"Use Dark Pulse!" The cloaked man called out as Darkrai unleashed a flurry of violet rings that overpowered Torkoal’s Flamethrower, barraging the tortoise in a large explosion that left it unconscious after a single move._

Why had he used Torkoal against an opponent with a Pokemon as fast and powerful as Darkrai…? No disrespect to the Pokemon, it did its best, but what a poor match-up. He could have sent out Sceptile sooner.

_"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"  Ash had called this himself as Latios descended for another Giga Impact. Try as he might, Pikachu was overpowered by the devastating move. He’d taken another hit as a consequence._

What had he been thinking, attacking that move head-on…? Looking back, he could have used the spin technique Dawn had taught him before the Oreburgh Gym… A passive attack strategy would have been much better than brute force against such an opponent.

The mistakes seemed to pile up in his head. Sure, he had fought well and his Pokemon were amazing. They had defeated two legendary Pokemon! He wore that accomplishment with pride, but something told him he could have done better. It could have been different. The boy’s eyes narrowed, coal iris’ focused on the azure ceiling above him. Brows furrowed. He felt frustration. He had worked so hard to win Sinnoh… He’d put so much effort into beating Paul, that…

He hadn’t been prepared. He hadn’t thought his choices out thoroughly during that last battle. It wasn’t his Pokemon that had gone wrong at all, no.

He was the one who had made the follies.

"…It was my fault." He finally spoke aloud, just above a whisper.

The mouse laying against his side turned his head towards his trainer, ears perking up. "Pi…?" Pikachu couldn’t help but worry that Ash was coming down on himself. That wasn’t something Pikachu would allow. He was about to speak, but Ash continued.

"I put all of my effort into battling Paul and defeating him… Once I was there, it felt like the tournament was over. He was our goal. Past that, I didn’t even think as much as I should’ve… All of my Pokemon were great… Especially you, Pikachu. But, I made some bad moves out there… I could’ve done better… Here I am again, back home. I… I want to do better than that. If I keep messing up like that, there’s no way I’ll be a Pokemon Master!"

"Pika! Pikachu!" The lemon-colored mouse hopped to his feet, waving his paws and yelling to his trainer. Don’t be so hard on yourself, he said! Don’t give up now! Ash still had it in him to be the best; he always said he would! Hearing him talk like that… It was unusual. Almost a bit scary. Part of him couldn’t help but worry he might take these thoughts too far to heart. Ash had a heart of gold, but unlike Pikachu, he was still something of a child. He figured a time would come when his trainer’s confidence would breach. "Pika…." His voice softened to almost a whine. Don’t change, Ash. Please don’t change.

"What if I’m not good enough…? What if this’ll be as far as I go…? What if I keep going from region to region and not winning?" Ash sat upright, fists closing in frustration. One could dismiss this as a juvenile tantrum, but it ran deeper than that… It was a lapse of confidence.

How ironic, after his closest spot to victory yet.

Ash, as Pikachu knew him, was never one to obsess with winning a match, with being better than anyone else. His Pokemon did come first… but deep down, Ash was still a boy--a boy with huge dreams who wanted to be the best. It only made sense that falling short of them would eventually lead to problems… But, Ash had it in him! He knew he did! He didn’t have to change himself to make that happen!

"Pika Pika! Pikachu!" The mouse cried out in protest, furrowed brows conveying the intensity of his coal colored eyes, the two staring into Ash’s after he’d pulled his trainer away from his fretting. He would be a Pokemon Master! Maybe they hadn’t done it yet, but they had a lifetime to get there! And maybe it wouldn’t be the same way they’d been trying, but they would do it! They always figured things out!

While he couldn’t understand the exact words Pikachu was shouting at him… The teen was able to see further than that. The message was clear. Pikachu knew he could do it, one way or another. No matter how hard it might be, they would be masters!

The boy’s hues began to pool with tears, onyx irises showing a hint of copper. Pikachu had always been one of his inspirations. He was Ash’s best friend, the one he confided in most. He was the one Ash needed most right now and he hadn’t budged. He was right there, telling the boy how it was.

"Pikachu…." His lips quivered, his throat burning with sobs he bit back as he attempted to regain his composure. Those same eyes that were filled with confusion and fear were now burning with intensity, the ambition within him swelling to a fever pitch. Building with him like a raging inferno that filled his body with life and energy, as well as his mind. His fists tightened, one raising to shoulder level as he put all of his passions into words.

"Pikachu, you’re right! We CAN still do it! We’ll be the best team the world’s ever seen, and we’ll come back smarter and stronger than anyone’s seen us! One way or another, we’ll bounce back from this!"

Tears fell freely from his eyes as he spoke, his legs taking him towards his closet in a rhythmic stomp of defiance. The door was thrown open as he rummaged through it, continuing to speak. “Maybe we’ll do things differently… Maybe we’ll find another road for us! But the Sinnoh League isn’t going to stop us, or any other Pokemon League!”

There! He’d found what he was looking for. Gloved hands rummaged through the messy mix of old clothing and collectibles of his, retrieving a familiar artifact. A red cap with a white section on the front, Indigo League’s green insignia resting in the very center--his prized Pokemon League Expo hat. It was placed on his head with haste but with care, being fitted on just right as he turned back towards Pikachu with a raised fist.

"We’re going to work harder than ever before, and show the world how great we are!" With a quick sweep of his hand, he slid the cap backwards on his head, fiery eyes turned toward the starry sky outside the window. "Mark my words, Pokemon World! I’m gonna be the best there is!" At this point he was promptly joined by Pikachu, who dashed over to leap to his shoulder. Imitating his pose, he chimed in with his own declaration. "Pi-Pikachu!" They would get their goal… They would reach it!

The initial excitement began to fade soon, replaced by another layer of uncertainty. But it wasn’t the same kind he’d felt when he was close to giving up… No, it was anticipation of the future, the anxiety brought by imagining the road ahead of him. The kind that made his stomach nearly turn upside-down in excitement. “We’ll find a way soon… I say we go talk to Professor Oak tomorrow! What do you say, buddy?”

His gaze turned once more towards the mouse, positively beaming with excitement. Waiting patiently for the equally important answer from his partner. Of course he was meant with a hearty “Pika!” that agreed wholeheartedly.

Maybe things hadn’t gone just how he wanted them to… Maybe Ash had made some mistakes. But, that wasn’t going to put him down for good. No, today was just the beginning!


	2. There's always a silver lining!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Ash is home, he's decided to redouble his efforts towards becoming a pokemon master. With a suggestion from Professor Oak, Ash has decided on his next destination!

Soon after Ash had declared his newfound confidence, night passed as soon as it had come. Brilliant sunshine beamed in through the window of his bedroom, basking the sleeping teen in warmth… But, he was none the wiser, still deep in slumber. Even an aspiring Pokemon Master needed his sleep!

The door to his room slowly parted with a creek, being slid open by none other than his mother, Delia.

“Ash, honey, it’s time to wake up!” She announced in a soft tone, causing the ear of a certain yellow mouse to twitch.

Pikachu lifted his head, having previously been buried in Ash’s chest, to turn to the source of the voice. Ash, however, didn’t stir in the slightest.

"Pikachu, could you go ahead and wake Ash for me? We wouldn’t want him sleeping the day away!" Delia’s request was quickly met with a mischievous smile from the Electric Mouse Pokemon, whom squirmed his way out of Ash’s arms, landing on the corner of the bed. His rosy cheeks sparked to life with electricity, quickly culminating in yet another brilliant bolt.

The crackling buzz of electricity was only eclipsed by the nasally wail of a certain sleepyhead, subsiding just as quickly as it had come only to leave a soot-covered teen in its wake. Groaning tiredly over the unpleasant sensation, Ash opened both of his eyes only to find Pikachu, who had a coy smile etched on his curved lips, and Delia, who wore her same innocent smile despite the fact that her son had just been electrocuted with a Thunderbolt.

“Errgh… Mom? What’s the big idea?”

"Well dear, I just didn’t want you to sleep away such an important day~!" The woman chimed, leaving her explanation oddly vague. "Breakfast is already set up for you downstairs!" As she spoke, the alluring aroma of freshly baked pancakes and Arceus knew what else drifted into the room, instantly driving away any sleepy reservations that Ash had left. He’d already pulled himself out of bed, ready to rush downstairs without even questioning Delia’s odd behavior.

"Hold it right there, mister!" Those few words were enough to stop Ash in his tracks, a pout already on his face that predicted what would come next. "You better go and wash up first! I won’t have you go leaving ashes all over my kitchen floor… One of you is already enough to handle!" The brunette chuckled to herself over her own joke as she left the room, leaving her less-than-amused son to do as she’d said.

"Yeah, yeah… Very funny."

* * *

 

After performing his morning rituals, Ash dashed downstairs like a man possessed, ignoring everything but the crown jewel that was the plate of food on the table. Laying before him was a scrumptious looking stack of pancakes, accompanied with bacon and eggs, sunny-side-up. He didn’t waste a second in sitting down before his meal, beginning to devour it at a rate that would put a Snorlax to shame.

"Dis….is delishus!" Ash managed to utter between stuffing pancake slices into his mouth. Surprisingly, he paced himself enough to down what he’d been eating to comment further. "Thanks a lot, Mom! You really outdid yourself this time!" Although it was certainly a meal no one could complain about, it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for Delia… But after constantly being on the road, any proper meal was pretty much heaven right now!

"Ash, do not talk with your mouth full," she chided, but her expression quickly softened. "But, of course, dear! A growing young man needs his nutrition, after all!" Ash didn’t pay the comment much mind, due to his current laser-like focus on devouring breakfast. Soon, something foreign seemed to brush up against his messy bedhead, catching the attention of the ravenous teen. Floating above him was a balloon, along with several others that were floating around the room. He’d been so busy eating that he hadn’t even noticed! Upon a second glance, Ash was able to make out the writing on each of them. ‘Happy Birthday!’

The boy stared at the inscription for a good few seconds, trying to put the pieces together in his head. She’d said it was a special day, earlier… She had called him a growing young man… “Hold on a sec… IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!?” Ash nearly jumped out of his chair, flabbergasted to say the least. “That means I’m, uh…” A hand was held up, fingers being counted one by one. “That means I’m… Fifteen today!” The conclusion was met by widened eyes. He was fifteen years old!

Delia couldn’t help but chuckle. Ash was so silly. She worried he might lose his own head if it wasn’t attached to his shoulders! “You sure are, honey! Oh, I’m so proud! You’re just growing up right before my eyes!”

Pikachu walked over to Ash, lightly tapping his cheek with his paw. “Pika pi!” It was clear he was proud of his trainer, too! Delia couldn’t help but smile at the sight, handing over his cap.

He grabbed the cap from her hand, placing it carefully atop his head. “Thanks for the breakfast, but now I want to tell my Pokemon that today is my…. my…..”

"Fifteenth," Delia finished.

Ash then continued, "Right, my 15th birthday. Let’s go, Pikachu!" Ash ran for the door, grabbing his jacket before rushing towards Oak’s lab.

* * *

 

Ash soon reached the front door to Professor Oak’s laboratory, gazing fondly at the structure that hadn’t changed a bit. It sat on a large hill, sporting a windmill, with the authority’s vast ranch in the back.

The two pressed the doorbell simultaneously, waiting a short few moments before being greeted at the door by Tracey. The sketch artist now appeared to be a young man, sporting a lab coat along with his signature headband. His face lit up at the sight of Ash. He hadn’t seen his good friend in ages!

"Ash! So nice to see you! What brings you here today?" He greeted, pausing briefly before going on. "You know, the Professor is away for an hour." Tracey explained as he allowed Ash into the lab.

"That’s fine, and it’s good to see you, too! I’m here to see my Pokemon. I want to thank them for all their hard work in the Sinnoh league." The boy announced, holding his fist up in front of his chest.

Tracey beamed, then seemed to freeze as if he’d recalled something important. “Oh, sorry Ash, but I just remembered I have something important to attend to! I’ll have to catch up with you later!” With that, Tracey departed towards the bowels of the lab.

"I’m sure Professor Oak keeps Tracey busy, right Pikachu?" Ash mused aloud, to which Pikachu replied with a cheery "Cha~!"

The two made their way to the back of the lab, stepping onto the grassy green plain that housed the various Pokemon Oak cared for. Soon after making their appearance, they spotted a large, toad-like creature with a large bulb on its back.

“Bulbasaur!” Ash cheered, a smile spreading from cheek to cheek when he spotted the Seed Pokemon. “Long time, no see!”

Bulbasaur looked up to his trainer, the biggest smile forming on its face as it ran over towards Ash. Before Bulbasaur could reach Ash, though, the trainer was tackled to the ground by none other than his Bayleef. The large Single Leaf Pokemon pinned Ash to the ground, affectionately nuzzling his cheek. Ash couldn’t help but laugh at the excessive display of affection, reaching to pet the top of the Pokemon’s head.

“It’s great to see you too, Bayleef!”

Pikachu made his way over to Bulbasaur, holding out his paws to shake with Bulbasaur’s vines, presumably being welcomed back to the ranch. Finally, Ash managed to struggle to sit up, turning to the reliable starter Pokemon.

“Hey, Bulbasaur, could ya call the other Pokemon over here?”

"Bulba, Bulb!" He promptly answered, firing a brilliant multi-colored Solarbeam, which climbed high into the sky, bursting into a brilliant array of lights meant to attract any Pokemon that knew the significance of such a signal.

Several minutes passed and soon all of the Pokemon were gathered, from the calm and reliable Bulbasaur to the more recently caught Gible, along with the rest of his Sinnoh team. Ash looked upon them all with fondness. All of these Pokemon he’d collected over the years… All of them were here as a reminder of all of his hard work, and more importantly, the memories he’d shared with them. It was almost enough to put a tear in his eye. But, there was no time for that!

"You know, guys, today is my 15th birthday! I really can’t believe I got lucky enough to meet you all over the last few years… I just wanna let you know that you all mean the world to me, and I’ll never forget all we’ve been through together!  Every one of you made my journey even better, and I mean that!"

The sum of his Pokemon let out roaring cries of approval, the majority of them piling atop Ash in a chaotic pile of affection. Of course, excluding his more distant Pokemon, such as Sceptile and Buizel, who admired their trainer from a short distance.

Several hours seemingly flew by as Ash played with his Pokemon, catching up with each one of them in an effort to make up for months of absence at a time. After everyone had been tended to personally, he stood up in the midst of the group once more. “Alright, guys! I know we finished top 4 in Sinnoh for the first time ever, and I can’t thank everyone enough for that. Next time we’re aiming for the top--and I don’t know how we’ll do it--but I just know I’ll find a way for us to get stronger! That’s a promise.”

Ash was met with yet another cheer, when a familiar face was spotted in the corner of Ash’s eye. Mr.Mime was leaning over the fence to the ranch, waving its arms to get the trainer’s attention. Tilting his head in confusion, Ash couldn’t help but ask. ”Mr. Mime, what’s wrong?”

The Barrier Pokemon attempted to mime the action of a person eating from a plate, which clicked in Ash’s mind straight away.

”Mom’s making dinner!? Why didn’t you say so sooner? Come on, Pikachu! See you guys tomorrow!” Ash grabbed the mouse by the paw, hopping over the fence before sprinting back home, leaving all of his on looking Pokemon in disbelief.

* * *

 

The front door to the Ketchum household soon burst open, revealing an overly-excited Ash Ketchum to have made the dramatic entrance. “Hey, Mom! I’m ho-” His sentence stopped short when he was met with a rather unexpected sight. In his living room sat two familiar faces; a boy his age with spiky auburn hair, Gary Oak, and Gary’s grandfather, the Pokemon authority, Professor Oak.  “…Gary? Professor Oak? No one told me you guys’d be here!”

The young professor shook his head with a smile, taking a sip of tea from a small cup between his fingers. “Oh, Ashy-boy. You haven’t changed a bit, have you? You didn’t think we’d miss your birthday, did you?” Gary wore a snide smile, making it difficult to tell whether he was being sarcastic or not. Ash simply huffed, feigning annoyance, but their true rivalry had long since faded.

"Please, Ash. Have a seat!" Oak gestured to the chair beside him. "Your mother’s still cooking dinner, and it would be wonderful to catch up!" Ash didn’t hesitate to take a seat in the spot pointed to, and Oak continued. "Sadly, I wasn’t able to attend the Sinnoh League due to important research, but I had heard some very interesting news! The trainer who won the competition was said to be using a Darkrai… And rumor has it, that a trainer from Pallet Town defeated it in the Semi-Finals! Now, unless I’m mistaken… That had to have been you, correct?"

Ash reached to scratch the back of his neck, feeling a bit sheepish. This was the second time he’d discussed that battle since he’d been home! “Yeah, that’s right! I may not’ve won, but I was able to beat Darkrai with three of my Pokemon left! All thanks to Sceptile.” His gaze then turned on the mouse sitting beside him, one hand reaching to scratch behind his ear. Pikachu cooed, lightly nuzzling his head into Ash’s fingertips. “The guy had a Latios, too, but Pikachu managed to take it down with him! Everyone was awesome, even if we didn’t win.” The second time he told the story, Ash didn’t feel the same sense of disappointment. The doom and gloom from the night before had passed

Grandfather and grandson alike met Ash with an incredulous stare, stunned silence dominating the atmosphere for just a few moments. Gary was first to break the silence, putting his usual taunting aside. “Well, well, Ashy-boy. I won’t lie to you. I’m impressed! You may’ve gotten better, but I never would’ve thought you’d pull off something like that!”

"I must agree," the elder man added. "Regardless of your placing in the tournament, I don’t believe, in all my years that I’ve ever heard of such an accomplishment! Though, I can’t help but be rubbed the wrong way with such mythical Pokemon being entered in an ordinary tournament…" The Professor scrunched his nose, putting his hand to his chin in thought. He’d never heard of such a rule, but one would only assume there would be restrictions.

"It is pretty weird, but I’m not gonna blame Tobias for me losing. If I really want to be a Pokemon Master… Then I’m gonna have to learn to be stronger than him along with everyone else! And, I know Pikachu and I can do it."

The younger researcher beside him nodded in approval. “That’s the kind of attitude you should stick with… Say, gramps.  Wasn’t there some kind of research you were making a breakthrough on?” Gary looked to his grandfather, having decided to change the topic.

"Ah, yes! Well, we’re working on it. I’ve been speaking to some of the other Professors, and we just may be making major progress in understanding the fundamentals of Pokemon evolution!" Weary charcoal eyes lit up with enthusiasm. Even in old age, his passion for Pokemon had certainly not faded. Oh, how amazing it would be to find something unprecedented!

Amongst his zeal, however, the Professor had nearly forgotten something rather important! Snapping out of his own thoughts, he turned his gaze to Ash. “Oh, that reminds me, Ash! I’d spoken to my colleague, Professor Juniper, not too long ago! She’s an authority in the far-away Unova region, which houses plenty of new species of Pokemon!”

The announcement was met with widened eyes, gloved fists closing tight and a smile spreading across the young trainer’s face. Yet another region full of awesome new Pokemon to check out! “The Unova region, huh? That sounds awesome! I’ve gotta-“

Just then, the conversation was interrupted by loud call from the kitchen. “Dinner’s ready, everyone~! Hurry up and take a seat!” Delia had shouted, and Ash had bolted towards the dining room not even seconds afterward. Leaving Gary, Pikachu, and Professor Oak in the dust.

"That kid has the attention span of a Monkey," Gary couldn’t help but throw in with a shake of his head.

"Indeed…" Oak couldn’t help but agree, making his way to the table in a more composed passion. "But he’s full of energy, if nothing else." Pikachu nodded in agreement, following the three.

* * *

 

The table was adorned with numerous delectable dishes, varying from savory meets to small fruit morsels and rice balls, comprising a balanced, delicious platter that only the most conscientious of hosts would be able to put together. To top it off, a bowl of Pokemon food sat among the rest for a certain electric mouse. As usual, it was appreciated by all, who had quickly dug into the meal before them… Some more hastily than others.

"Thanks a lot for the food, Miss Ketchum!" Gary was the first to speak, having just filled his own plate.

"Oh, it’s no problem, dear!" Delia took a seat beside Ash, more or less glowing. It was such a joy to provide for Ash and the rest of their friends.

"Yes, thank you!" Oak added on, starting to dine on his own selection before turning his gaze towards the younger of the two Ketchum’s. "So, Ash," he started, prompting Ash to give his mouth a moment to rest. "I assume you don’t plan on staying in one place for very long. Do you have any plans going onward? Perhaps you’ll travel to Unova next?" It was always Ash’s style to head for the very next region he heard about, after all. It was only expected.

A fork was held tightly in his grip, a thoughtful look on Ash’s face that was, at a time like this, rather uncharacteristic. Usually, any new challenge was met with instant enthusiasm. This time, however…

"…No."

All eyes were turned on him the moment the word left his mouth. It was as if everyone had just seen a ghost. “Unova sounds really cool, and I do wanna go there… But I can’t, ‘cause I’m not ready for it.” It gave Ash an odd feeling in his gut. Rejecting a new exciting challenge was foreign to him. There was a slight nagging feeling that he would regret this choice… Looking the others in the eyes, though, he went on.

"After Lily of the Valley, I wanna do something brand new. Something totally different. Maybe I’ll train harder, so next time I go after a Pokemon League, I’ll be a lot stronger! Maybe there’s more to being a strong trainer than just winning badges all the time. Of course, that probably sounds kinda strange coming from me!" Nervous laughter followed his speech. It was hard not to see humor in how unusual the words coming out of his mouth were.

Stunned expressions all around held true, with each listener feeling varying degrees of shock. Ash’s inspirational speeches were far from out of the ordinary, but hearing him approach a situation with a path other than his first impulse was certainly something new.

Noting the reactions of his partner, mother, former rival, and professor, he went on. “…So, I need somewhere new to go, but I’m not really sure where. Do ya have any ideas, Professor?”

Oak finished chewing his food, swallowing it whole. He arched a silver brow and tapped an index to his chin, inaudible murmurs escaping crusty lips. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh. Ash had traversed them all, along with the secluded Orange Islands! Where else was left to go if he needn’t want to simply traverse a new region?

Awkward silence filled the table. It seemed like forever, when in reality the thought process was merely a minute. What, he was old and not as spry as back then! Using the process of elimination calculating through a rusty yet brilliant mind, Oak finally came to a solution! But… would even a veteran battler such as the valiant Ash Ketchum be able to survive **_there_**? He didn’t want to be liable for Ash’s safety if the trainer or his pokemon were to be critically injured!

He hesitantly opened his maw to speak, only to quickly shut it again, repeating the process. “Well... I suppose there IS one region— er, area you have yet to visit, Ash.” Oak briefly excused himself from the dinner table to collect an average looking folder containing a few documents. The elder returned and lay them out upon the table before Ash, gesticulating to the photographs of the majestic mountain separating Kanto and Johto.

"I take it you’ve seen this mountain before? It’s none other than Mount Silver!" The geriatric’s hand hovered to each different photograph in perfect sync with each topic. "The few whom I’ve granted entrance to it were very talented trainers. You could say they’re on par with the Elite Four’s skill level, if not more so!" So entwined in this psuedo-lecture of his, Oak had nearly forgotten about the half-eaten meal at his plate. He locked solemn gazes with the aspiring Master. "As you can probably tell by now, I don’t suggest or grant entrance to simply any headstrong trainer willing to believe they can overcome the rough obstacles which lie dormant inside Mount Silver. But you… you have an extraordinary bond with your Pokemon! At such an early age you’re able to understand it’s not the strength, speed, or moves of a Pokemon which lead to victory and prosperity— it’s the bond connecting trainer and Pokemon. If strong enough, it can tackle nearly any obstacle."

He lowered his profoundly raised index and cleared his throat. Oak would certainly use himself as an example of what a powerful bond can lead to, but not one to talk much about his past, the Professor omitted those details. Now to get to the point of this entire spiel and pop the question! Chances were, Ash’s response would be yes.

"So, Ash… do you find yourself willing to travel to Mount Silver?"

Ash stayed silent through the presentation and lecture alike, considering the idea. He had been around Mt.Silver before, once--but only to return a Larvitar to its mother and home. The mountain itself hadn’t been touched, nor had he really thought anything of the place. This was the first time he’d been told it was anything special, let alone fatally dangerous. “I’ve been near the place… But, I’ve never heard of it being such a big deal! There must be a lot of strong Pokemon there, too!” That alone was a very tempting thought for Ash. Powerful wild Pokemon were a rare sight. Though he had seen plenty over the years, seeing a bunch gathered all in one place was a whole other story altogether, and it was enough to make his heart race in excitement. “Plus, it’d be great to get some time on my own, so I don’t get distracted too much!”

Charcoal hues turned to Pikachu, Gary, and Delia in particular, who was holding her napkin in an iron grip. He couldn’t quite make what the former two thought of this, but it was easy to see his mother was worried. Even, still, he couldn’t delay in giving an answer. Looking back to Professor Oak, he nodded. “…Yes. I’m not gonna lie, it does sound really tough! But if it’s a place where I can train hard and focus on my Pokemon, then I’m not going to turn that challenge down! If Mt.Silver will bring me closer to being a Pokemon Master, then I’ll go!”

No one was surprised by Ash’s dramatic flair. Nonetheless, the idea of him traveling to such a daunting place was difficult for anyone to swallow. Everyone seemed to hold their breath, none really sure who should speak first…

“Now, hold on for just a second!” It was none other than Delia who had spoken up, and she slammed her napkin down onto the table. The exciting atmosphere and energy fell back to normal almost instantly as Ash and the two Oak’s looked toward Delia. “What makes you think that I will allow my fifteen-year-old son to train in that dangerous mountain?” Delia questioned the two, anger and hurt evident in her eyes.

"Mom, I’ll be fine! I traveled through four regions and even saved the world--!" Ash was then interrupted by Delia.

"I will not allow you to question me, young man! If you want to train and improve, why not go to Unova with your friends or train at home? It’s been years since you spent any significant time home and…I miss you." Tears of sadness and frustration began to silently fall down Delia’s face.

After giving Delia a few moments to collect herself and for the shock of the refusal to fade, Gary stood up and cleared his throat. “Mrs. Ketchum, if I may, Ash may not be the the most mature person in the world yet.”

Ash shot him a glance, muttering something incoherent before Gary continued.

“However, with Ash together with his Pokemon, he’ll be better off than most other trainers anywhere, especially in Mt. silver. I battled his Pokemon, and they’re plenty tough enough to take care of Ash.” He continued, wrapping up his plea. “I totally understand your concern, but I believe Ash’ll be just fine, and Mt.Silver isn’t far from Pallet, so he can always make it home if something goes wrong.”

Ash couldn’t help but smile as he saw Gary, the trainer that was once his fiercest rival, speaking up on his abilities as a trainer and fighting to convince his mother of the same. Delia looked over to Ash and back to Gary, letting out a sigh before replying. “I appreciate your kind words, Gary, but I still will not allow it. Ash is all I have now, and it’s hard enough letting him go to travel all over the world. I am not going to allow my teenage son to train in a mountain that even adults can’t survive!”

Ash stood up, but before he could speak, Professor Oak did first. “Now Delia, I understand your feelings, because I felt the same when Gary traveled through Kanto and Johto, and through Sinnoh. However, we know that boys will be boys, and ours have such an indomitable nature that no challenge seems too big.” Oak shared a gentle reassuring smile with Delia. Her facial features seemed to relax and her attention turned towards Ash.

"Ash, you and Pikachu are all I have. I understand that you have a dream to become a Pokemon Master, and I know that one day, you’ll get there. If anything were to happen to you…" The young woman paused, holding back any tears threatening to spill before continuing. "I don’t know what I would do, but you’re right. You have traveled four regions, saved the world more times than I could count, and you’ve saved all of us."

Oak and Ash exchanged a smile, recalling the mirage fiasco

"If Samuel and Gary both feel so strongly that you can take care of yourself and your Pokemon, then I will trust my friends and my son." Delia’s implication caused Ash to perk up, nearly jumping out of his seat in the process.

"Does that mean…?"

His mother smiled, nodding her head. "Yes, Ash. You have my blessing, on one condition."

The three men in the room and Pikachu turned to Delia, curious what the condition would be. Ash was then handed a small mechanical device.

“Uh… What is it, Mom?” Ash queried, puzzled.

Gary then spoke up, identifying the object. ”That is an Xtransciever! It’s a video phone that was made over in the Unova region!”

Ash nodded, eyes widening in wonder. “Way cool! I didn’t know something like that existed!”

Adding on to her condition, Delia continued. “With this, I would like to receive a call from you at least once every two weeks! That way I’ll know you’re safe.”

Ecstatic, Ash was quick to jump from his seat and pull his mother into a hug, and Pikachu joined in as well! “Oh, thanks, Mom! You’re the best!”

“You’re welcome, dear… Oh! I almost forgot!" Ash was released from the hug, nearly causing him to stumble over his own feet. She’d disappeared into the living room, soon returning with a rectangular box wrapped with a big red bow. "Ash, I had a feeling you would be going on a brand new adventure soon, no matter where you’d be heading, so I wanted to get you a brand new outfit!" She handed the box to her son, clasping her hands together with a jovial smile. "Happy birthday, honey!"

As much as he had grown and matured, Ash wasn’t one to resist tearing the wrapping off a present within seconds, eagerly unraveling the gift before pulling off the top of the box. Inside of it was, just as she’d said, a brand new outfit! The vest was pulled out first, revealed to be a strong crimson color with white sleeves and a collar of the same tone. In fact, it seemed quite familiar.

“Hey, wait a sec… This looks a lot like the jacket I used to wear, when I went through Kanto and Johto!” Ash noted before proceeding to go through the box, finding a black t-shirt, teal gloves with pale green cuffs, and a pair of jeans. “The rest of it is the same, too!”

"That’s right, Ash! You’re a young man now, and I thought it would just be perfect if you returned to your roots! Now that you’re trying something different, I think I made the right choice! Don’t you?" She chimed as Ash slipped off the gold-striped jacket he’d worn through Sinnoh, sliding the red jacket onto his shoulders, Pokemon League cap atop his head to complete the look. He reached to adjust his cap out of habit, which left him with a strong feeling of familiarity. He could definitely get used to this.

"Yeah, no doubt! Thanks a lot, Mom! This look works out just fine!"

A smile stretched across Oak’s aged features. “Indeed, it suits you quite well, Ash! Now I assume you’ll be preparing a team before setting off? I’m sure you wouldn’t want to leave unprepared.”

Gary nodded, adding on to Oak’s suggestion. “And I’m sure you’d wanna stock up on items, as well! I’ve heard there’s a Pokemon Center around there, but you can never be too careful. Especially knowing the kinds of messes you get yourself into!” He jabbed at his former rival, quickly stopping his prodding after a less-than-pleasant look from Delia.

"Right!" Ash nodded along, his fist closed and held up in conviction. "I’ll pick out my Pokemon and head over there as soon as I can! And when I’m done, the world won’t know what hit it!" Ash’s eyes scanned around the room as he spoke, taking note of those sitting at the table: Samuel Oak, the wise elder man who provided him with Pikachu and plenty of information and assistance along his quest; Gary, his former rival and one he’d once considered a goal to surpass that was key to his way to greatness; his mother, who had raised him since birth and supported him on his quest to be a Pokemon Master; and finally, Pikachu, who had been his partner from day one and seen him through thick and thin.

_'Everyone here's putting their faith in me… With all of that, there's no way I can let them down! Get ready, Mt, Silver… 'Cause I'm coming for you next!'_


	3. Getting the group together!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his journey to Mt.Silver growing closer by the day, Ash is faced with the decision of forming his first roster to take with him to the perilous heights! Growing nostalgic, though, he goes out of his way to recruit a few old friends.

Hey, everyone! Much like chapter one, this update is accompanied by another fanart, for Ash with his first Mt.Silver team! You may want to wait until you finish the chapter to look, since it does contain spoilers. http://another-rxad.tumblr.com/post/123207114722/drawn-by-hollylu-pokeship-art-ash-and-his Hope you like it!

* * *

 

The sun's brilliant rays shone down on Pallet, coupled with a gentle breeze that brushed across a certain aspiring Pokemon Master’s skin. His eyes scanned over his impressive collection of Pokemon, spanning from the tiny rookie Gible to the stalwart giant Snorlax and everyone else in between. Professor Oak had shown him out back to the ranch behind his famous laboratory, electing to assist Ash in his coming decisions that would prepare him for the adventure that drew ever closer.

"I know I want everyone to get in on this training... But first, I guess I gotta pick out a main team to head out with. I've gotta start somewhere, right?" Ash turned his head toward his yellow companion, scratching him behind the ear. "Of course, you're coming with me, buddy!"

Pikachu cooed, nodding his head in agreement. "Chaaa~!"

Meanwhile, his pokemon frolicked and bathed in the sun all across the ranch, each of them catching the trainer’s eye. Ash stared, puzzled, until the elderly man interjected. "Well, you’re going to have to start somewhere, I’d imagine! It’s been quite a while since most of your pokemon have had the chance to fight alongside you. I’m sure they’d be eager to come along!”

Ash stared on, placing both of his hands on his hips. "I guess you've got a point there... But, I really don't wanna leave anyone out." His brows furrowed in frustration, no clear solution coming to mind. "Maybe I should think on this a lil' longer…” Turning to the Professor, Ash gave a brief wave before heading towards the foliage surrounding Route 1. "We won't be long, promise!"

Soon after departing from Pallet, Ash and Pikachu entered a lush forest, teeming with life and activity. A glance to the left gave view of several Oddish running in a single-file line behind a Vileplume. The trees were peppered with Kakuna and Metapod patiently awaiting evolution. "Man, this really brings me back." Ash mused aloud, only to be interrupted by a loud shriek. It could be heard throughout the forest, not only catching Ash's attention, but scattering many of the nearby Pokemon who quickly slipped into obscurity.

Ash's gaze was turned towards the source of the cry, his eyes meeting the fearsome glare of a fully evolved Fearow - one that was closing in on the two at a frightening pace.

"Hey Pikachu, watch out!" The duo just barely avoided the assault by the skin of their teeth, turning just in time to watch it return for a second attack. A sharp turn brought it back towards its target, and Fearow's fearsome beak began to glow as it prepared its Drill Peck attack. "Pikachu! Chase it off with your Thunderbolt attack!" Short but powerful legs launched the mouse off of Ash's shoulder, followed by a powerful Thunderbolt that cut through the air towards its target.

The Beak Pokemon slipped under the bolt, swooping in to land a direct hit on Pikachu's belly, scoring a critical hit on the electric mouse. Ash didn't waste a second in leaping to catch the mouse, feeling a pang in his shoulder as Pikachu's momentum sent him crashing into a tree behind him. Fearow didn't relent, homing in on the disoriented duo with an intent to injure or possibly worse.

"What the heck is this Fearow's problem!?" Ash barely had time to question, bracing himself for the oncoming blow.

Moments before the two were struck, a pained cry left the attacker, who had been barraged by several shining streaks of light.

Ash, who had been holding onto Pikachu for dear life, turned his eyes to the sky when the dreaded attack never came. Floating above where Fearow had been were a flock of Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and even Pidgeot! The trainer couldn't believe his eyes. Talk about luck! One of the Pidgeot, though, caught his eye in particular. It seemed a bit larger than the rest and it seemed more focused on Ash than the others. When their eyes met, it nodded to Ash before returning its attention to their long-beaked adversary.

Could it be...? The stunned trainer rubbed his eyes, taking another look at the Pokemon to confirm his suspicion. It must have been his Pidgeot that he'd released all of those years ago! "Then that Fearow has to be the same one from last time!" This deduction explained Fearow's rage and animosity. No wonder he was under attack! But the danger didn't stop there. Fearow let out a shrill cry, summoning a horde of Spearow and Fearow to oppose the would-be rescue team.

The same Pidgeot landed beside Ash and its difference from the others became much more important. Its majestic head feather was particularly long and colorful, and several knicks in its body, along with a strong build hinted that it was significantly more battle hardened than the rest of the flock. It lowered its neck, spreading its wings to gesture for Ash to mount its back--just as it had done many years before.

"It's great to see you again, Pidgeot!" Ash exclaimed, climbing on top of it whilst cradling Pikachu carefully in his arms. Before Ash even knew it, they were airborne and the instigating Fearow was on their tail in mere moments.

An incoming Drill Peck was avoided with the remarkable grace and speed of an Aerial Ace, forcing Ash to cling onto Pidgeot for dear life. The loop ended with the larger flying type tailing Fearow, speeding forward to crash into its back. With its opponent recoiling in pain, Pidgeot spread its wings out above, its entire body emanating a radiant white glow. The dizziness leaving Ash’s mind a blurred mess had begun to fade, allowing him to regain his composure. Greeted with a brilliant display shortly afterward, he reached to pull the brim of his cap over his eyes. "Hey, wait a second... That's Sky Attack!" Upon identifying the move, Ash clung to the bird's body, eyes widening to the size of saucers. "Hang on tight, Pikachu!" By the time Fearow had shaken off the ache caused by Aerial Ace, it could only look on like a Stantler in headlights. Helpless to resist, it was hit by the brilliant flying type attack full-force.

The hit sent Fearow crashing into the earth, seeming to cause a ceasefire amongst the warring birds as everyone watched the seemingly defeated Fearow fall helplessly from the sky... Or at least they had thought it was defeated. A powerful gust heralded the return of the attacker, who emerged in a rush towards Pidgeot with a brilliant purple aura, which was surrounded by spiraling streaks of orange.

The raven-haired trainer felt his heart skipped a beat when he recognized the move being executed. "Oh man... That's Giga Impact!" Ash was already bracing for impact, but Pidgeot had other plans. Its beak parted to form a brilliant golden sphere of light, growing larger as Fearow closed in. They were only inches away from being pummeled, with Ash clinging to Pidgeot's feathers for dear life, when the blast was fired. A large explosion followed, ringing in the ears of the Pallet native as Fearow fell out of the sky unconscious.

Watching their leader succumb to defeat, the remaining Spearow and Fearow fled into every corner of the forest, leaving the Pidgey and Pidgeotto to fly circles around Pidgeot in a congratulatory manner. The leader descended to a clearing in the forest, allowing its former trainer to climb down safely. Ash dismounted, looking fondly on the creature that had gotten him out of such a bind. By then, Pikachu had begun to regain his composure as well, mirroring the same expression. "Thanks for saving the two of us, Pidgeot! It's really great to see you again."

The avian nodded, though it didn't show nearly the same enthusiasm. Sure, it had been more than willing to rescue Ash, but it had been years since he'd made the promise of returning for Pidgeot. What had happened? Had he forgotten completely?

When he was met with silence, Ash understood. His lips curved into a frown, and his stomach dropped in guilt. Rubbing the back of his head, he did his best to come up with an apology to string together. "Look, Pidgeot... I know I slipped up in coming back for you... I guess I just... Thought you were doin' well out here." His explanation came in a weak tone, one that made him sound unconvinced, even of his own explanation. Sure, it was true, but... Long ago, Ash had promised not to make excuses for his mistakes as a trainer. When he had failed to protect his Metapod, who was now a Butterfree that had long since departed from his team as well.

"...I screwed up. I was just a kid and I guess I let everything else get ahead of me. I'm sorry, Pidgeot." A gloved hand was placed atop Pidgeot's wing, sullen eyes meeting Pidgeot's. Just then, an idea struck him. "...But tell you what! Real soon, I'm going to be starting some real special training, up in the mountains past the Indigo League! And, I bet it'd be awesome to battle with you again. You wanna come train with us?"

He managed one of his usual cheery smiles, leaving the bird taken aback, to say the least. Looking at that cheery face, it was hard to hold a grudge. The flock had grown enough to take care of itself as well and some of the others had even evolved into their final stage. Throwing its wings outward, Pidgeot let out a loud shriek of approval. Joyful laughter left Ash as he grabbed a Pokeball from his belt, lightly tapping Pidgeot on the head. A red light consumed the bird, sucking it inside the sphere that shook several times before stopping with a 'ping!' Finding himself almost lost for words, Ash clipped the Pokeball to his belt with a smile that spanned from cheek to cheek. "Welcome home, Pidgeot!"

* * *

 

With the briskness of the evening quickly approaching the small town of Pallet, a more chipper than usual Ash was approaching Professor Oak's lab. Upon being greeted at the front door, Ash and Pikachu face the Professor with wide, prideful grins.

"My, you two are looking bright! What has you in such a good mood, Ash?" The Professor rose a bushy brow, an amused smile present on the corners of his lips.

Ash removed his cap, showing his unruly raven colored hair as he reached to his belt and unclipped a single pokeball. "I caught a Pokemon while I was in the forest! Try and guess what it is, Professor!"

A small snicker was heard from Professor Oak as the elder man looked upon the smug duo. "You forget that whenever you catch a Pokemon I get a notification in my system."

Upon hearing those words, Ash and Pikachu fall into a slump, and Ash responded in a whine. "C'mon, professor, you could have at least guessed."

Oak chuckled briefly before regaining his more serious demeanor. "I am very pleased to see that Pidgeot not only forgave you for leaving it behind for so long, but also agreed to join back into the fold. Will it be training with you?"

Ash gave the question a moment's thought before responding. "I wanna work with everyone, but I still don't know who to use first."

Oak was about to open his mouth when a familiar voice could be heard from another room.

Tracey appeared from around the corner, his eyes set on Oak. "Professor Sycamore is on the phone for you, sir!"

Oak nodded his head, excusing himself from the room. "Sorry Ash, but I have to take this call! I'll speak with you later!"

Ash and Pikachu took that chance to head home, making their way back to the Ketchum household. Upon walking in the door, Ash caught the scent of a heavenly aroma of delectable dishes being prepared in the kitchen. It proved so intoxicating that Ash was just shy of walking into a case in the living room. Pikachu, however, managed to save the day by tugging on his trainer's ear, regaining his attention.

Ash's senses soon returned to him, and he found himself face to face with a glass trophy case that held not only Delia's honors for her culinary work, but Ash's badges and trophies as well. The case was looked upon with nostalgic fondness, every medal and award he'd won bearing memories of amazing battles, and the Pokemon he'd fought alongside to win them. He gazed at his Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh badges, as well as the placement plaques from each respective league. One particular award caught his attention, though. The Orange League Championship trophy.

Sitting beside it was a small framed photo, one that had been taken only minutes after he had claimed victory over the previously undefeated Champion, Drake. The cheery light in his eyes was unmistakable. He remembered that very moment like it was yesterday. The euphoria of victory made Ash feel like he was on top of the world. And with him stood each of his companions that had brought him that win. Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charizard, Tauros, and Lapras... The last of which whom had departed from his team shortly after.

"Hey Pikachu, have you ever wondered how Lapras has been doing since our Orange Island journey ended?" Pikachu instantly perked up and nodded his head, thoughtful of Lapras just as he was of his other departed teammates. "I wonder if Lapras is ever upset I let it go... I wonder if it misses us." The trainer pondered the thought as a sullen air filled the room.

The mood was quickly broken, though, as Delia popped her head into the room. "It's good to have you home, honey! Dinner's ready!"

Once again, any looming thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind as he and Pikachu rushed into the kitchen in such a fury that Delia couldn't help but shake her head and smile. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

After dinner, the duo went to bed with full stomachs and happy hearts, dreaming dreams of victory and glory that were sure to come. Not before long, morning came, but the raven-haired boy still lay asleep, arms sprawled across the bed carelessly, mouth hanging wide open in a manner that was all but flattering. Pikachu began to stir under the warmth of the sun's rays shining in through the window, wiggling his way out from under the covers. He stretched his stubby arms over his head, letting out a high-pitched squeak akin to a yawn, ears twitching to welcome a brand new day!

Unfortunately, his 'partner in crime' was still sleeping sound. Frowning, Pikachu leaned over to nudge Ash's shoulder. No response. Once more he reached forward, tapping Ash on the cheek. Nothing, still. He crossed his arms over his chest in frustration, thinking briefly before the lightbulb went off on his head. He raised his paws over his head, shrieking before setting off his own built-in 'alarm clock.'

"Pikaaa... Chuuu!!!"

A brilliant Thunderbolt was sent coursing through Ash's body, causing him to let out a yelp, flailing and falling out of his bed. He uttered a pained groan from the floor, leering at the mouse sitting above. "Dawn and Mom have been a bad influence on you, ya know that?"

Pikachu couldn't help but laugh, reaching for Ash's dresser to grab his signature cap, placing it atop his trainer's head. The message was clear. They had things to do and Pokemon to see!

After breakfast, the two departed for Professor Oak's laboratory, where they had left Pidgeot overnight, so its condition could be checked on and verified. By time the two had arrived, the check-up had just been concluded. "Well, Ash, it seems Pidgeot's in ideal shape! Pardon a few battle scars that had long since healed, she's doing just fine!" The elderly man held the Bird Pokemon's Pokeball out to its rightful owner.

Ash lit up, thrilled with the news. "That's great! Thanks a lot, Professor!" He accepted the capsule, snapping it onto his belt.

Oak nodded, speaking once more out of curiosity. "So, what do you have planned for today? Are you still working on deciding your departing team?"

"Pidgeot, Pikachu, and I are going to the Orange Islands, to see if you can reunite with Lapras the same way we did with Pidgeot!" He was met with a thoughtful gaze that was followed up with a nod.

"I see. Well, if you want to meet up with Lapras, then your best bet would be in the Seafoam Islands; they fall right in the line of their migration pattern! It shouldn't be that long a flight on Pidgeot. Do you have any clues as to how you are going to find your Lapras?"

He was met with a sheepish smile from the boy, who scratched the back of his head. "Uh... Not really!"

"I could have guessed as much, Ash." The elderly man couldn't help but smile, moving over to one of his computers before typing and clicking diligently in a seemingly random fashion. Curious as always, Ash followed to observe the computer screen, which displayed an image that seemed to be some type of map, with a dotted line crossing over the seas of Kanto.

"This is a map of Lapras' typical migration patterns! With this, there's no doubt that you should have an easier time tracking down your released Lapras, assuming it's still part of the herd!" The geriatric announced with a smile, a finger pointing upward in a 'matter-of-fact' manner. "Now I'll just have to download this onto your Pokedex, if you'd please?"

"That's awesome!" A smile spread from cheek to cheek on the boy's face as he handed over the Pokedex, and his fist was thrown into the air. The thought of getting to see his long lost friend again was just too exciting!

The bright red device was inserted into an open port beside the monitor, allowing the data transfer to take place, signaled by a number of flashes and notifications on screen. The download was quickly completed, and Oak withdrew the device before handing it back to Ash. "There you are, Ash. This information is sure to be your best shot at hunting down your friend. If you want to be back before sundown, though, you'd better get going!"

"Thanks so much, Professor! Let's go, Pikachu!" In a flash they were out the doors, heading for the shores off the edge of Pallet. Soon, he'd made his way to the docks, stepping onto the wood boarded platform overlooking the southern seas. A single Pokeball was grabbed off of his belt, retracted behind his head before being thrown into the air. "Pidgeot, come on out!"

In a flash of white light, the silhouette of Pidgeot began to take shape before fully taking form. The flying type let out a loud cry, stretching out its wings under the brilliant sun. "Alright, guys," Ash started, addressing the large Pokemon beside him. "We're heading to the biggest of the Seafoam Islands to find Lapras. It should be a little to the south out west from here. Do you think you could take us out there, Pidgeot?"

The feather-crowned Pokemon nodded its head, bowing its head and spanning its wings in a gesture for the two to climb aboard. Ash sat atop its back, Pikachu included, before flashing a thumbs up to the bird carrying him. "Alright, we're set!" Without a second thought, Pidgeot took off, entering the skyscape above with a loud cry, announcing its presence to other flyers and ocean-dwellers alike.

"Woah!" Ash let out a yelp, holding his red cap down upon his head just as it was beginning to slip off from the strong winds. Childish laughter left the youth as they soared above, eyes fixated on the glimmering ocean below which, right now, seemed like little more than a blur. "Man, Pidgeot! I forgot how fast you were!" His eyes were glimmering with amazement, a hand gently rubbing the back of Pidgeot's head. "But I guess you're probably a lot stronger and faster after all these years now, huh? With this sort of speed, we should be there in no time!"

The flight seemed to drag on for quite a while, maybe an hour or so. The sky above was practically clear, merely a few clouds lingering overhead that hardly interfered with the image of a perfect sunny day. The salty smell of sea water lingered, setting quite the relaxing atmosphere for Ash and Pikachu that made boredom hardly a factor. Not before long, a grey landmass began to appear over the horizon. "Hey, look at that... I think it's the first island!" Ash pointed a finger towards the sight that seemingly became larger and larger as they neared. He reached to grab his Pokedex from his coat pocket, checking the interactive map that Oak had given him. "Yup, this is it, alright! Lucky for us that the Professor helped us out!" He pocketed the device, more eager than ever to reach his destination. "Alright, Pidgeot. Come on down once we get to the island! With any luck, we'll find Lapras there!"

It wasn't long before they swooped down to the island, where Ash dismounted to walk upon the shores of the first of the Seafoam Islands. Pidgeot let out a huff, just a tiny bit tired from the trip. It hadn't escaped Ash, who returned to place a hand upon his Pokemon, lightly massaging its wing. "It's been a pretty long ride, huh? You did a great job getting us here quick." The trainer smiled, focusing on putting his Pokemon at ease. "But, I'm sure just one more trip won't be so bad, right?"

While Ash was preoccupied, Pikachu couldn't help but feel as if something was off. His long ears twitched, identifying a familiar sound. He nudged Ash on the shoulder, immediately narrowing his eyes towards the source. Ash turned his head, and at that moment, he spotted something completely unexpected. A chilling Ice Beam was shooting through the air right towards them! Ash was quick to react, pointing toward the projectile. "Pikachu, keep that away from Pidgeot with a Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu launched off of his trainer's shoulders, drawing his limbs in, shrieking as he unleashed a brilliant Thunderbolt. The two attacks collided, pushing against one another before exploding between Pikachu and the attacker. Before the electric mouse could react, he was met by a barrage of Water Pulse and Ice Ball attacks that threatened to rain down upon the duo.

A few of the Ice Balls collided with each other, showering the area in shards of ice; a few of the Water Pulses also collided, soaking the beach. Not all of the attacks were stopped, though; the blasts hit the beach, sending shockwaves blowing past Ash and his Pokémon. A few angry noises came from the water, but Ash didn't pay that much mind; he was a bit more preoccupied with the imminent threat to his and his partners' lives.

"Pikachu, we've gotta make a break for it! You too, Pidgeot!" Ash announced before running for the dense foliage just off the beach, but stopped short when a barrage of Ice Beams showered the area, forming a solid wall of ice. "Oh man... Looks like we're trapped! I really didn’t come here to become an Ash-sicle… I guess we'll have to face this head-on, huh Pikachu?" Pikachu nodded his head, and they turned to face their attackers.

About a dozen Lapras' were gathered just on shore. Some of them were glaring down at the trio on the beach with a hard gaze; a few were eyeing those threatening the boy and his companions, looking equally unhappy. Before any of them could act, one of the Lapras made its way to the front of the pack. Though its appearance matched the rest, soft eyes void of any sort of malice made it easily discernable from the rest. It made its way towards Ash through the sand, moving surely, as if it were already familiar with the trainer. Ash stared at the creature, letting his mind wander momentarily before putting the pieces together. "Lapras... Is that... Is that you?"

The Transport Pokemon didn't hesitate to dive forward, nuzzling its face against Ash's, eyes alight with joy. Ash couldn't help but laugh, throwing his arms around the creature's neck as he returned the affectionate gesture, rubbing cheeks with Lapras. Pulling back, he got another good look at Lapras, as well as the herd. "It's so great to see you again! You guys have really gotten stronger since I saw you last time, haven't you?"

While trainer and former Pokemon alike reunited, Pikachu was busy playing with the younger members of the group, who had seemingly accepted Ash and his teammates. The rest of the group had seemed to ease when Ash was greeted by their leader, dismissing him as a threat. The trainer felt his heart beginning to sink as he watched the scene, a familiar sense of guilt washing over him.

"I know it was the right thing to do to leave you here with your friends, and I know you wanted to.... But, I still feel kinda bad about leaving you... You've done a great job taking care of the rest of them... They all look big and strong now." He watched the other Pokemon playing and enjoying themselves. Along with his shame, Ash felt a sense of pride. The same Lapras he'd rescued and trained had taken care of its brethren, just as Pidgeot had. Maybe it was time for it to leave them to fend for themselves, too. "To tell ya the truth, Lapras... I came back here to see you. I wanted to know if you'd come with me and train together again. Think you'd be up to helping us be the best out there?" He pulled back to make eye contact with the sea creature, a hopeful smile spread across his features.

Lapras paused, pondering the proposal for a moment. Suddenly, its mouth parted to unleash a chilling Ice Beam, firing the attack just past Ash's head.

"WAH!" Ash yelped, ducking away from the freezing projectile. "What the heck was that for!?" Ash returned his attention to Lapras, who craned her neck upwards, looking down at him with a gesture that seemed to signal only one thing. He would have to battle her first.

A smirk found its way across Ash's lips, a fire building in his very heart as he ran a good distance away from the creature, turning on his heels back towards it. "Alright, Lapras! You're on! Let's go, Pikachu!" He pointed to the electric mouse, who quickly dashed over to stand beside his trainer. Lapras readied itself as well, ruby eyes staring Pikachu down.

"Okay, let's start with Iron Tail!" Pikachu didn't waste a moment, leaping above the battlefield towards his opponent. His tail became shrouded in light, covering itself in a sturdy layer of steel as it was swung down towards Lapras. The Transport Pokemon wasn't going to take that sitting, though, as its mouth parted to unleash a condensed blast of water, firing back at Pikachu with Water Pulse. Hardly expecting the retaliation, Pikachu was thrown back by the gushing waters, landing on all fours in front of his opponent.

"That was a pretty strong Water Pulse... Alright, Pikachu! Quick Attack!" Shaking the water out of his fur, Pikachu shot forward like a rocket, silver light trailing his form as he slammed his body into Lapras' stomach. The larger Pokemon winced, recoiling in pain before parting its jaws to fire a freezing beam towards the mouse. Quick feet and stubby, but powerful legs sprang Pikachu out of the way, who let out an exasperated sigh as he landed on his bottom, mere inches away from a frozen patch of ice on the beach. But Lapras' assault was relentless. Another Ice Beam came, just barely skimming Pikachu's side, causing the mouse to hiss in pain. A third beam came after that, and then a fourth, as Pikachu hopped between unfrozen patches of land before landing steady on all fours once more.

Ash watched with genuine interest as Pikachu was kept on his toes, legitimately challenged by his old friend. And, it hadn't had proper training in battles for years--at least as far as he knew. This left him legitimately impressed. Soon, though, he was brought out of his musings when Lapras let out a loud, melodious cry. A small tidal wave rose from the seas, seemingly summoned by its voice, before heading past Lapras and straight for Pikachu.

"Looks like Pikachu's out of the frying pan and into the freezer.... Or, out of the freezer and into the… water...?" Ash placed a hand to his chin, pondering the botched expression before realizing just how close Pikachu was to being swept away. "Pikachu, jump above it and get grab onto Lapras, quick!"

While Ash had been wasting time, Pikachu showed no intention to as he leapt over the sweeping wave high into the air, stubby paws getting closer and closer by the second to grabbing onto Lapras' horn. Pikachu, without a doubt, had figured out Ash's strategy. If they could get clean contact with it, a full-fledged Thunderbolt would decide the match for sure.

Lapras, however, had other plans. Just as the mouse came within range it ducked, bowing its head in a move that caught Pikachu completely off-guard. Taking advantage of the mouse's surprise, the water type threw its head upward to slam its horn into Pikachu's stomach, sending the hurting Pokemon soaring higher into the air!

"Ah, Pikachu!" Ash shouted out in concern, eyes wide as he watched the mouse ascend. That was definitely unexpected... But they weren't out yet! "Pikachu! Hang in there, and come down with Volt Tackle!"

Ash's command left a smirk on Pikachu's lips, and the mouse began to tumble in mid-air, heading down towards Lapras. The spin ended in Pikachu's body lighting up with a brilliant golden aura, electricity dancing along his entire form. He dropped into a free-fall towards his target. Lapras was motionless, completely awestruck by the counter attack. Before it could think to move, Pikachu crashed into its head, lighting up the beach with a booming explosion!

Soon the smoke cleared, revealing a Pikachu none the worse for wear and a recoiling Lapras, who appeared to be paralyzed. "Alright... This is it!" Ash chanted, grabbing one of the metallic capsules off of his belt before throwing it overhand towards the Pokemon with so much dramatic flair. "Pokeball, go!" The ball bounced off Lapras' forehead without a hitch, drawing its form inside in a red flash of light. It fell to the sand below, beginning to shake and rattle from Lapras's resistance.

It shook once.

"Ping!"

That all too familiar sound sent Ash's spirits through the roof, the boy running towards the Pokeball as he could barely contain the excitement that ran through him. He grabbed the ball out of the sand, a smile running across his face from cheek to cheek. Charcoal eyes stared down at the shining capsule held in his palms, bright with pride.

"Thanks a lot for wanting to travel with me again. Now, let's all become the best in the world, together!" He was promptly joined by Pikachu, who hopped upon his shoulder with a cheer. "Pika Pika!" The excitement wasn't just theirs, clearly, as another voice chirped in approval.

"Pidgoooo!" Pidgeot cried from across the shore, raising one of its wings to congratulate the two. Ash chuckled before turning his gaze to the remaining Lapras, a somber air hanging about them. "I'm sorry I'm taking Lapras from you guys... I know it was your leader and all, but I'm sure you could make it on your own, right? You all seem pretty strong, now."

The remaining flock of Transport Pokemon nodded along, some seemingly taking the news better than others. It was obvious that their leader wanted to be with Ash, and he was plenty fit to take care of her in his own right, judging by their match.

"And hey, who knows? Maybe we'll visit again someday! But right now, we gotta get going. Let's go, Pidgeot!" Ash called out to the flying type, who lowered her back and spread out her wings for Ash and Pikachu to climb aboard. As soon as the two sat atop her back, the flying type Pokemon took off into the sky. Ash waved his hand above his head, giving his last farewell to the Pokemon below. "Goodbye, guys! Good luck with your migration! See ya later!!"

* * *

 

What seemed like another hour passed as Pidgeot soared over Kanto's southern seas, and soon, Ash found himself back on the shores of Pallet Town. Hopping off the flying Pokemon, Ash gently massaged Pidgeot's beak before tapping her lightly with her Pokeball. "Thanks again for the ride back, Pidgeot! Now, take a good long rest!" The capsule was placed along the others strapped to his belt. "Alright, I guess we should head over to Professor Oak's place to choose my starting team!"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu chirped, raising his paw in agreement as Ash made his way to the lab, hopping over the hillside fence that separated the ranch from the rest of Pallet Town. Most of his Pokemon could be seen going about their own business, not having noticed their trainer just yet. "Alright, I guess I should start thinking about who's coming with me..." While Ash mused to himself aloud, two familiar faces made their way out to the backyard. Professor Oak, along with his assistant Tracey.

"Well, hello there, Ash! I see you were too impatient to use the front door?" The elderly man chided teasingly towards the trainer, bearing a smile on his face that showed he wasn't truly upset with him.

Ash let out a yelp of surprise, turning on his heels to find himself face to face with the authority figure and older friend of his alike. "Ah, Professor! Tracey! I didn't know you guys were here!" He reached to rub the back of his head, wearing an apologetic smile. "Sorry, after I got Lapras back, I guess I just got a lil' too excited!"

Tracey could only respond with a good-natured laugh, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, Ash. I understand completely! So, have you decided which Pokemon you're going to take with you?"

Ash put a hand to his chin, closing his eyes in thought. "Well, Pikachu, of course. Hmm…" Memories from the recent Sinnoh League tournament came to mind first and foremost, and he nodded, opening his eyes. "Well, Sceptile's got speed and power to spare; he did take down Tobias' Darkrai, after all. I think he'd be a good fit."

As Ash mused over his choices, Professor Oak's eyes seemed to light up a bit. "Pardon me a moment, you two. I'll be right back." The professor turned, heading back towards his lab, leaving the two younger men out in the ranch area.

Tracey had been thinking as well and the Pokémon Watcher nodded as well. "Well, you just went and got Pidgeot and Lapras back, yeah? Why not them?"

"Great idea!" Ash grinned and nodded once. "Alright, two more…" Ash turned, pacing a little bit. So lost was he in his thoughts that he didn't notice a shifting in the ground nearby… or Gible leaping out from underground and chomping on his head. "Wh-Whaaa!" The young man yelped in surprise, flailing his arms a moment before he realized what was going on. "Gible?" Maybe it was just the dragon’s jaws clamping onto his head, but an idea clicked in his mind. "Hey, you did really well a while back, Gible, and we haven't had much time to train together… want to be a part of my first team?"

Gible let go, hopping happily in place with a big smile on his face. The little land shark jumped for joy, launching a Draco Meteor skyward. The orb split into many, which began crashing down, prompting yelps from Ash and Tracey as they dove for safety amongst the debris.

"Hehehe, well, there's five… just one more." Ash frowned slightly. He had so many Pokémon… it was tough to choose. He didn't think it over for long, though, as Professor Oak's voice broke him out of his musing.

"Ash, could you come here for a moment? I have something you might want to see." The professor had an almost-mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he went back inside, grinning; Ash hadn't paid it much mind… though when he went inside and was engulfed in a friendly Flamethrower, the reality of the situation struck him as swiftly as the scorching blast of heat.

"Charizard!"

The fiery Pokémon thumped his chest, grinning as he was pulled into a hug by his trainer. Pikachu waved with both arms as well, giving the fire lizard a high-five.

Professor Oak laughed softly at the scene. "Considering that you're going to the most dangerous part of the joint regions for training, I only felt it appropriate that you have one of your strongest Pokémon with you. To that end, I made a call over to the Charicific Valley and had Liza send Charizard over here. Did you enjoy your surprise?"

"Did I ever!" Ash grinned widely, stepping back. "Alright! Pikachu, Sceptile, Pidgeot, Lapras, Gible, and Charizard. We're heading out tomorrow… and we're gonna get a lot tougher. You ready?!" Pikachu was quick to announce his support, pumping his little fist in the air, and Charizard joined in with a booming loud roar. Ash pumped a fist as well. "I thought so!" He could feel excitement welling up in his chest. The young trainer from Pallet knew that this was the start of something great.

 


	4. Nothing to Sneasel at

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his course set and his team organized, Ash finally heads out to Mt.Silver! Much like his experience in Johto, he finds that its inhabitants are far more dangerous than he'd expected!

"Ahahaha! Hey, quit it!" Joyous laughter filled the air, as did the cries of numerous Pokemon huddled together.

Morning had come in Pallet Town, and Ash had woken bright and early, making his way to Professor Oak's ranch after a very filling breakfast, there to say his goodbyes to all of his Pokemon companions. Now he found himself floored, surrounded by plenty of affectionate creatures that clearly didn't want the boy to leave. "I'm gonna miss you too, Bayleef, but if I can't get up, I'm never gonna be able to get outta here!" Ash managed between laughs, receiving an affectionate goodbye from the second stage grass type, who was nuzzling her face against his. Finally she pulled back, allowing Ash to stand up amongst the crowd of Pokemon. All were bidding him a tearful farewell.

"Alright, guys. Today I start on my brand new journey to become the world's greatest Pokemon Master! And, don't worry about getting your fill of training, 'cause all of you are gonna get a turn!" Ash pumped his fist in the air, his words being met with plenty of cheers and cries of support from his various Pokemon surrounding him. Buizel stood with his arms crossed in the back of the crowd, flashing his trainer a 'thumbs up.' Torkoal was, of course, a sobbing mess, discharging black smoke from his shell much to his companions' dismay. Standing at the front of the group was none other than Bulbasaur, who stared up at Ash with cool, collected red eyes, extending one of his vines up to Ash's level. The trainer couldn't help but smile, reaching to 'shake hands' with the extended vine. "Bulbasaur, I'm counting on you to watch out for everyone here. You think you can handle it?"

"Bulba!" The Seed Pokemon barked back with conviction, nodding to his trainer. As always, he would be the one to keep things in order on the ranch, as he'd always done. Guarding the Hidden Village in the days before Ash had captured him had prepared him rather well for the self-appointed position and it was something he took pride in.

"I knew it! Alright, guys! Take care! I'll see ya later!" Ash made his way to the fence blocking off the edge of the ranch, hopping over the side before turning to his large ensemble of Pokemon. He was smiling from cheek to cheek, doing his best to contain any further emotions. If he kept looking back, he'd never want to leave! It was just hard not to look... Hard not to when he couldn't be more proud of the team he'd gathered. With one last wave he ran down the grassy hill, sliding just barely to a stop at the road below. And, not a moment too soon, as he found himself face to face with none other than Professor Oak, and Delia!

Ash let out a yelp, coming to a halt just in time, as the two had already braced for impact. Thankfully, it never came. After a few moments, the two adults eased and Professor Oak couldn't resist to let out a chuckle.

"Goodness, Ash, do try to be a bit more careful! My old heart can't take as many surprises as it used to!" The professor gave Ash a smile, holding a letter in an envelope out. "Be sure not to forget this letter! This will get you into Mt. Silver. It wouldn't do for you to make that trip and not be able to get in there, am I right?"

Ash laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. That's right… he hadn't gotten the letter letting him in yet. Oops… "Eheh... Yeah, I guess you got me there."

Delia shook her head slightly with a bemused smile on her face. "Heheh, I guess some things don't change. You're every bit the reckless young man your father was at your age…" She suddenly pulled Ash into a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you… You've come a long way from your first day! I know that you have good judgment, but I'm going to say this anyway, because I'm your mother: Be careful, okay? And… Don't forget to keep your clothes clean. It can get cold around Mt. Silver."

The hug brought a feeling of embarrassment to the boy, a blush burning on his cheeks and ears. But, of course, he returned the hug anyway. That was a mother for you. "Of course, Mom. I promise I'll be careful… and I'll keep my clothes clean." He let out an inward sigh of relief, grateful she had avoided one particular topic. _'At least she didn't tell me to remember to change my underwear.'_

Pulling back, he fixed his backpack onto his back, petting Pikachu on top of his head. "So, I guess that's it, Mom! I'd love to stick around, but if I'm ever gonna get started, I have to get going!" He waved to the two before beginning to run off towards the exit to town, shouting out to both of them. "I love you, Mom! Take care, Professor! See you later!"

Delia had held up until now, surprisingly, but finally the dams broke. Tears stained her cheeks as she waved frantically to her son, watching the center of her world run off into the distance until he was out of sight. "I love you too, Honey! Good luck out there! Oh, and don’t forget to change your underwear!" The last request earned a visible flinch out of the boy as he ran off, but he continued on without fail.

"My baby boy... Oh, you've grown up so much." The young woman held a hand to her heart, letting out a sigh as Ash ran off once more towards another adventure. It was difficult, letting him go. The light of her life, always disappearing to somewhere new. But, that was the price of letting her child follow his dreams. Something that she would never trade away.

* * *

 

The path to Mt. Silver brought Ash through the vibrant Viridian City, which was just a step on the way towards the Pokemon League Reception Gate. The walk through Route 26 didn't take long at all, and the aspiring trainer quickly made his way to the gateway, which completely blocked off the path to the Indigo League itself. A deep breath left Ash's lungs, the boy's fists closing tightly at his side. It would be a lie to say he wasn't the least bit nervous, but hardened black hues betrayed his thoughts of hesitation. Ash made his way inside the sliding double doors, entering a short hallway that led directly to the Indigo League. A single desk stood near the entrance with a receptionist sitting still, and two rather large guards in police uniforms stood further ahead, each blocking off a single door.

"Excuse me?" Ash approached the desk, holding letter in his gloved hand. "I need to get to Mt. Silver. Could you tell me which way to go?" Despite his polite plea, though, the man's stoic expression didn't soften a bit. An eyebrow raised, in fact, in disbelief. "Sorry kid, but that route is strictly off limits! Access is only allowed to those with expressed approval; certainly not to a kid your age."

"Well you see, I kinda already have it!" Ash answered, not faltering a bit as he handed the envelope over to the man. Still incredulous, the attendant opened the slip to take a look at the letter inside. It read as followed;

_To Whom It Regards:_

_I am writing to express my formal consent for Ash Ketchum, a Pokemon Trainer from Pallet Town, to be allowed to enter Route 28 and continue to Mt. Silver beyond it, where I have given him approval to hone his skills as a Pokemon Trainer. I'm aware this may seem like a bit of a bizarre request, given his age, but I would like to add that he has quite the list of accomplishments, including being a former Champion of the Orange League and the Kanto Battle Frontier, as well as a number of high placements in official Pokemon League competitions. I would stake my name in confidence of Ash's ability to take care of himself and implore that you accept my request._

_Sincerely,_

_Professor Samuel Oak_

The man pursed his lips as he read the letter over, still skeptical as ever. "Well, I'll be darned... I don't know how a kid your age could get permission to go to a place like that, but if Professor Oak's authorized it, I have no choice but to let you through." The letter was set down on the table, and the attendant turned to the guards down the hall. "Allow this trainer access to Route 28 immediately!"

The man on the left stared, equally skeptical, but stepped aside promptly, showing Ash the way out. "Right this way, young man."

The door was held open, cueing a wide smile to spread across the trainer's face, his eyes positively lit with excitement. "Thank you!" Ash parted with a slight bow of his head, rushing off towards the exit to the next route. "Alright! Here goes nothing!"

He stepped out of the building after clearing the checkpoint, reflexively reaching to hold his cap down over his eyes as the bright sun shone down from above. Once his eyes had adjusted to the outdoors, Ash found himself face to face with a small wilderness, closed together between looming rock walls that hung over either side of the area. Gritty colors and appearance contrasted strongly with the fields and woods ahead that were lush and green with vitality.

All of that, though, absolutely paled in comparison to what lay ahead. Over the trees and land masses before him was a sight that was truly breathtaking. Lush green hills over the landscape towered atop one another, scaling higher and higher to transition into purely rocky cliff sides and caverns, topped off by solid white snowcaps topping off the treacherous, monolithic mountain that was Mt. Silver. Just the sight was enough to make Ash feel tiny, evidenced by the teen's fists that were closed tightly at his side, slightly shaking in disbelief. "You've gotta be kidding me... That's Mt. Silver!? Man, it’s even bigger than I remember!" The trainer exclaimed in awe, accompanied by an agreeing utterance of disbelief by the Pikachu holding onto the back of his head. Neither had gotten this close to the peaks the last time they’d visited it.

"Well, I guess we better get started, Pikachu! We've got a whole bunch of Pokemon to see!" Ash announced, making his way into the woods that led to the summit. He marched onward with a spring in his step, just barely containing his excitement that was just too much for words. A huge mountain for him to explore that he had all to himself, tons of powerful Pokemon, and all the time in the world to train and learn more about his Pokemon. It could hardly get any better than this! The journey hadn't even begun, but it didn't stop a big goofy grin from spreading across the trainer's face.

Charcoal eyes darted left and right to observe the area, taking in the sights of wild Pokemon that were, frankly, rather unusual. One would expect an area like this to be populated with bug Pokemon, Rattata, or Pidgey. Instead, there were Ponyta and Rapidash drinking from a small nearby pond where Poliwag and Poliwhirl splashed about. An Ursaring striking a nearby tree which bore an assortment of berries that soon fell from the branches. A Heracross that was sucking the sap from the very tree fled to another, wings buzzing loudly as if to warn against conflict. Even two Donphan were butting heads with one another, each struggling for superiority. A few inhabitants gave Ash and Pikachu wary stares, putting their daily routine on hold in suspicion of the odd sight of a human venturing into the area. Others ignored him, going about their business.

"This is weird," Ash voiced aloud to his partner, intently observing his surroundings. "I've never seen a wild area without people that had so many different types of Pokemon!” A rustling in the bushes went unnoticed by the eager trainer, though the subtle sound hadn't slipped past the ever sensitive ears of his electric typed companion. Both perked up, narrowed eyes scanning left and right. It quickly faded into obscurity amongst the chirps, rustles, and various sounds of Pokemon going about their day, leaving Pikachu to drop his guard. It was probably nothing worth concerning himself with.

Another rustle, this time a good deal louder, came from above. Ash stopped in his tracks, his eyes and Pikachu's alike darting towards the trees above. "You heard that, right...?" He turned his attention to the mouse atop his shoulder, who nodded. Alert eyes scanned the canopy above, just barely catching sight of a grey blur. "Well, it's probably just a wild Pokemon... I'm sure it's just shy because we're ar-WAH!" The trainer let out a startled yelp, stopping dead in his tracks as he found himself face to face with the stealthy culprit.

A slender Pokemon stood before him, baring blueish-grey fur, a red feather upon its left ear, piercing fuchsia eyes, and short, sharp claws on the end of each of its arms. Staring down the duo, the creature let out a fierce cry of its own name in warning. "Sneaselll!" Its claws clashed together several times in a threatening motion, slender legs bringing it closer to Ash and Pikachu. Neither were familiar around here, and far as it was concerned, neither were welcome. This route had done just fine without any human interference, and that wasn't about to change.

"Now that's weird... Sneasel usually aren't out in the middle of the day." The trainer mused, puzzled by its appearance. "This place is even weirder than I thought it'd be... But, anyway, I guess we're not getting through here without a battle, huh?" Ash's eyes lit up, his words clearly betraying his attitude. That familiar fire was beginning to burn up in him--the thrill for a good battle. A smile spread across the boy's lips as he adjusted the cap upon his head, raising a fist to shoulder height in a dramatic gesture. "Alright, Sneasel, I'll accept your challenge! I wanna see just how strong the Pokemon around this place are! Let's go, Pikachu!"

Pikachu hopped off of his perch, landing on all fours opposite of Sneasel. Both of his cheeks discharged electricity, casting a bravado from the small unassuming mouse. The dark type didn't budge, waiting patiently for Ash and Pikachu to make their first move.

 

"Alright, Pikachu! Start this off with a Thunderbolt attack!" Ash began the battle with his usual introduction and Pikachu took the cue right away. His ears stood up on end, electricity dancing along his body before launching in an explosive bolt towards the Sharp Claw Pokemon. It tore through the air in jagged patterns, sure to hit its target.

Or, at least that's what Ash would think, but the blast hit thin air - Sneasel had disappeared and taken the form of a grey blur. Before either of the two could process what had happened, the dark type had crossed the field in mere moments before striking Pikachu with one of its claws, passing it by with a Quick Attack--an attack that lived very much up to its name.

"Huh? You gotta be kidding me! That's one fast Sneasel!" Ash stared in disbelief, plainly gawking before he finally managed to collect himself. "Alright, Pikachu! Try to hit it with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu was temporarily stunned, but quick to recover from the sneaky hit, his strong legs allowing him to jump high into the air. "Chuaaaa...!" He chanted from above, gathering strength in his tail to cover it in a shining layer of steel.

"PIKA!" The limb came down like a ton of bricks, striking down into the ground where Sneasel had stood. But once more, it had sprang away at the last second, leaving Pikachu to create a large explosion of dust in the collision's wake. The debris cleared to reveal the mouse standing in a small crater, turning his head every which way in confusion. He'd barely seen it move... It left the mouse flustered. It was very rare that another Pokemon outclassed him so sharply in speed.

"PIKACHU! Look above you! Up in the trees, it's moving around on top of the branches!" Ash called out, his own eyes following the speedy Pokemon in place of Pikachu's. When the latter looked upward, he found Ash's call to be right. Sneasel had already made it into the trees, leaping from branch to branch with remarkable athletic prowess.

"Now, give it your best shot! Knock it outta the trees with every Thunderbolt you've got!"

Pikachu's eyes narrowed upon its target, letting out a loud cry that was followed by a stunning bolt of electricity. The bolt didn't take long at all to reach its would-be target, scorching the bark of the tree as Sneasel had swiftly swung to another branch. Pikachu narrowed his eyes, becoming somewhat frustrated with his opponent. Not one to give up, though, he prepared himself or another bolt.

"Chu!!!"

Another bolt was launched, breaking straight through a branch as it barely missed its target.

"Chu!!!"

A third was fired, scorching a number of leaves above, and Sneasel had abandoned the canopy to jump in from above, eyes dead set on Pikachu as he approached the land bound electric mouse. "Pikachu, it's coming right for you! Go and give it an Iron Tail!"

This time, Pikachu would hit it. Beady eyes narrowed, focusing intently on its adversary, as its tail once again was covered in metal. A mighty jump launched him towards Sneasel as Pikachu twisted his body around, ready to smash his tail into the typically nocturnal Pokemon.

Sneasel promptly opened its mouth wide, greeting the electric mouse with an ear-splitting shriek, barraging Pikachu with a painful Screech attack. Pikachu recoiled immediately, tumbling to the ground as his sensitive ears were overwhelmed. His opponent didn't waste a second to take advantage of this, lunging down towards Pikachu with its razor-sharp claws drawn.

"Pikachu! Quick, look out!!"

The mouse was holding his head with both paws, doing his best to regain his composure when Ash called out a warning. By time he looked up, though, the sly Pokemon was right in his face, challenging Pikachu's gaze with a snide smirk. That was the last thing Pikachu saw before two painful slices sent him rolling across the dirt, reeling from the damage amplified by Screech.

While Sneasel rose to its feet unharmed, its opponent lay face down in the dirt, struggling to stand.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted, each of his fists closing tightly enough to scratch his palms. This was no good... Sneasel was running circles around Pikachu and it hadn't taken the slightest bit of damage yet. _'Things are gonna get bad if I don't come up with a plan, quick...'_ Ash lamented in silence, eyes narrowing as he pondered the situation. _'That's it...'_ The teen came to a conclusion, shouting out to the electric mouse once more. "Pikachu! Do you think you can keep going, buddy?"

Stubby paws pushed Pikachu back onto all fours, tiny beady eyes trembling while Pikachu did his best to ignore the stinging pain. "Pika Pika!" He was still in the game and had no intention of giving up! As soon as Ash gave him an order, he was ready to follow, and there wasn't any long wait before that order came.

"Use Quick Attack to speed yourself up, and start climbing the trees like Sneasel did!"

The vigor behind Ash's words gave Pikachu a second wind of vitality, allowing him to dash off in a speedy yellow blur that climbed up the bark of the nearest tree, immediately hopping to the next tree with speed that would make an Arcanine jealous. Needless to say, Sneasel, with all of its pride in craftiness and agility, wasn't going to take that sitting down. A grey blur followed, quickly scaling the bark before leaping after its fleeing target.

"Keep it up, Pikachu! Just keep on running!" The trainer watched on with a budding smirk, putting all of his hopes in his strategy succeeding. Pikachu didn't relent, hopping swiftly from one tree branch to the next. Sneasel wasn't far behind, though, getting closer to its target with every leap. Its silver claws were bared, ready to strike down Pikachu as soon as it got the chance. Ash, however, had no intention of letting that happen. "Now, Pikachu! Stop right where you are and use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu took heed in the midst of a leap, grabbing a hanging branch with both paws to stop his descent. Sneasel had already made its latest jump, coming closer and closer to the mouse with no means of stopping. There was nothing it could do as it watched Pikachu swing back, using the momentum to bring on a full-fledged Iron Tail. "Chuaaa... PIKA!"

The metal limb struck home, knocking the wind out of a very stunned Sneasel as it was sent flying into the nearest tree, dealing it another sharp pain as it slid down the bark to the ground below. Pikachu got off easy, swinging down from the branch to land on all fours.

"Alright! We did it!" Ash pumped a fist in the air, already celebrating their success. He had spoken too soon though, it seemed, as the dark type slowly pulled itself to its feet, huffing in a haggard attempt to regain its breath. If Ash didn't know any better, he would say that his jaw had dropped past his knees.  "What? Iron Tail didn't work!? No way! You've gotta be kidding me..." Sweat rolled down his forehead, eyes narrowed upon the recovering opponent.  "If they keep going like this, there's no way of knowing who’s really gonna come out on top..." He reached to adjust the brim of his cap, determined to stay in control--of his own emotions as well as the battle. "You can do it, Pikachu! I believe in you! Finish off with Volt Tackle! Full power!"

Pikachu took off, his entire body bursting into a brilliant glow of electricity as he closed in on his opponent, intent on hitting it with every volt of electricity he had. Sneasel stood like a Stantler in headlights, knowing full well the consequences of standing still and taking the hit. Instead it leapt clear over its opponent, soaring airborne from behind a very confused Pikachu, who had skidded to a stop when his opponent was nowhere to be found. The other Pokemon's small mouth parted wide, charging an icy blue, chilling sphere of energy.

"Pikachu, look out behind you! Use a Thunderbolt as fast as you can!" The mouse swiftly turned its head, looking just in time to see Sneasel fire off a fearsome Ice Beam attack. A shriek followed, along with a brilliant electric shock that met the beam halfway. Freezing winds and hot electric bolts sprawled off every which way, creating a dangerous tempest in the wake of the clash. Though, the power struggle quickly began to turn one-sided with Sneasel's Ice Beam losing ground, soon being overwhelmed completely by Pikachu's more powerful Thunderbolt. The creature shrieked loudly, its entire body lit by the powerful electric shock, before falling to the ground below. Thin wisps of black smoke trailed from its singed body... But, its skinny arms were still pushing it back to its feet, and Sneasel was looking angrier than ever.

"Man... I can’t believe this. It still won't give in!" Ash remarked, once again amazed by the wild Pokemon. This time, however, his confidence didn't waver. _'I know that Pikachu's more powerful than Sneasel now... That's my way to win! If I could just get one more good hit on it, then I know we'd have this in the bag!’_

Once again standing on its hind legs, Sneasel launched itself at Pikachu with a blinding Quick Attack, closing the gap between the two in mere moments. And as quickly as it came, it was gone, soaring far over Pikachu's head into the air. Beady eyes frantically looked left and right, but the crafty Pokemon was nowhere to be found. He had expected a swift attack from the front, or even from the back. A subtle sound caught his attention, though, no sooner than Ash would call out in warning.

"Pikachu! Look out behind you!" Ash shouted, having a clear visual of Sneasel, who had jumped above and behind Pikachu, preparing a chilling orb between its jaws before firing another Ice Beam. This one came in faster than Pikachu could think to respond, striking the mouse directly in the back. A pained hiss left him through clenched teeth, and Pikachu was hardly able to move as a chilling sensation ran through his every nerve, leaving the entire backside of his body feeling numb... And, watching on, Ash would be able to see why.

Pikachu's entire back had been frozen solid, covered cleanly in a blocky layer of ice. Try as he might, the electric mouse was unable to move much at all, encumbered by the weight of the ice, and half of his body felt rather numb to boot. Pikachu winced, thoroughly irritated to find himself defenseless against Sneasel. Who, speak of Giratina, was swooping in from above, both claws glowing and extended for a particularly devastating Slash attack. Ash could only watch on in horror, unable to act as his partner stood defenseless in the wake of a potentially finishing blow. _'C'mon, Ash, think... There's gotta be some way to break outta that ice...'_

Then, realization dawned on the trainer, just in the nick of time. "Pikachu! Break out of that ice and finish it with Iron Tail!" A mischievous smirk formed on the rodent's face, every bit of vigor in his system doing its best to overcome the numbness to unleash a full-scale Iron Tail. Luckily, only moments passed before the metal-coated extremity burst out of the ice, shattering it all into a million pieces! Much to Sneasel's dismay, who was already closing in on Pikachu in mid-leap. The creature's eyes widened to the size of saucers as it found itself unable to stop its descent, making it the ideal target for Pikachu's retaliation.

"Chuaaaa...." Pikachu growled lowly, readying his hips before throwing them around in a spin, slamming the limb directly into the dark type's chin. With the strike came a hearty scream of his own name. "PIKA!!!"

The jarring hit sent the unconscious Sneasel flying, sliding across the dirt before landing in a slump. Pikachu landed on his hind legs, one foot placed before the other in a dramatic, battle-ready stance. Huffs and puffs left the exhausted Pokemon, though, showing that the intense battle had clearly taken its toll.

His beaming trainer didn't hesitate for a moment, running over before scooping Pikachu into his arms, cradling the fatigued victor with care. "Oh, Pikachu, you were awesome! That was a really tough match, but I just knew you could pull it off!" Whether Ash knew it or not, he was smiling cheek to cheek, irises positively glowing over the awesomeness of that battle. A tough struggle from the moment he stepped foot into the area was not what Ash had been expecting.

"I guess this place really is gonna be a handful, huh...? Just think, if all the Pokemon are super strong like that... Ohhh, I can't wait! Let's go, buddy!" The Pokemon Trainer gushed, reaching for the brim of his cap before turning it backwards, running off into the woods towards their destination. But, of course, not without a hearty cheer from his smaller companion first.

* * *

 

Ash and Pikachu continued their trek through the lively path that was Route 28, battling their way through the forests and ponds that blocked them from their true destination. Every challenge they were met with was more titanic than the last, and the variety of Pokemon running about gave Ash and his team a run for their money! Soon, the sun began to set, basking the entire horizon in a brilliant orange glow. Diurnal Pokemon began to retreat to their hidden homes, bug types crawling into the trees above. The enthusiastic teen was just making his way out of the forest now... Not looking quite so enthusiastic, after all. He held Pikachu in his arms, who was marked with quite a few scratches, and tired dulled eyes showed the fatigue of a long day of traveling with plenty of battles to boot.

"Oh, man..." the teen exhaled, his eyes turning up towards the colossal mountain before them. Its green and grassy plateaus reached about as high as the clouds above, and the snowy peaks reaching about as high as the eye could see. Ash was sure his jaw would have dropped to the ground had he not already seen it from a distance. "Up close, it looks even bigger... I sure hope we don't run into anything tough in there tonight, huh, Pikachu? I'm already beat." Ash's complaints were quickly met with an answer in the form of a call of his nickname, along with a stubby paw pointing forward.

"Pikapi!"

Lo and behold, not far down the path was a sight for sore eyes; a Pokemon Center, not at all far from the entrance to the cave. "Ahah... There's a Pokemon Center here? Alright! Talk about luck, huh, Pikachu?" The trainer made a dash for the building before him, all prior exhaustion momentarily slipping away. The glass double doors slid open, allowing Ash to enter the building.

The center, eerily enough, was almost entirely empty. There was a video phone and PC off to the side, couches and a coffee table, and most notably, a desk facing the entrance. Behind it stood a single Nurse Joy, hands clasped together in front of her beneath the desk. She greeted the trainer with a signature Joy smile, innocent and maternal in nature. "It's good to see you, Ash. Welcome to the Pokemon Center!"

Both of the boy's brows raised, his head tilting slightly in confusion. "Huh? Uh... Thanks, Nurse Joy, but how in the world did you know my name?" Ash questioned as he approached the counter, puzzled.

"Well that's simple, Ash!" The woman chimed. "Professor Oak had already let me know that you'd be arriving and coming to Mt. Silver to train! Given where I'm stationed, it's my duty to care for and look out for the rare trainer that comes into this area!  With such a dangerous wilderness up ahead, you could imagine that a trainer's well-being is my first priority, as well as their Pokemon’s!" It was in the midst of her explanation that Joy noted the scratched up Pikachu lying in the boy's arms, who looked positively exhausted. "Oh, and it looks like your Pikachu is in the kind of shape to require that kind of attention, immediately! Perhaps you should leave the rest of your Pokemon in my care, as well?"

Ash glanced down to his weakened partner, nodding his head before setting Pikachu on the counter. "Yeah, that's a good idea. The Pokemon are really tough out there!" His remaining five Pokeballs were withdrawn as well, placed into the tray sitting on the counter.

"That's certainly true, so I would hope that you're very careful out there. The Pokemon inside the mountain only get stronger! I wouldn't want you to come back down here hurt, or possibly worse, so try not to get ahead of yourself. I was told how hot-headed you could be." The young woman remarked teasingly with a smile, though there was a tinge of truth in her remarks. "So I suggest you fill up on dinner before heading to bed, so you can get started bright and early tomorrow at your best! There's some soup prepared for you in the guest room provided. Now, don't stay up too late!"

"Hot headed, huh?" The male's face fell, marked cheeks flushing in embarrassment. Figures that would have to be thrown in with everything else. "Well, that sounds good to me! Trust me, Nurse Joy, you won't have to worry about a thing!" He reached to pat Pikachu on the head, earning a coo from the mouse. "I'm going to leave you with Nurse Joy for the night, alright Pikachu? You get some rest, too!"

"Cha~!" Pikachu promptly answered, ready to be taken into care. With that, Ash made his way for the hallway towards the back of the center, waving to the two. "Awesome. Good night, guys! See ya in the morning!"

Not before long, the stars were the only lights in the sky, save for the moonlight that shone in through Ash's window, basking the messy-haired adolescent in a faint, pleasant glow. He'd already made his way into bed, staring out the window with both arms folded behind his head.

"Man... So, this is it, huh?" He spoke aloud, to no one in particular. "I am excited and all... But, looking at that mountain, it's kinda hard not to feel a little scared." An unusual thing for him to admit, he felt. It was the sort of thing that he would only tell Pikachu. But, his little yellow companion wasn't here right now. It felt odd without him, really. Even in times when he was away from just about everyone else, the electric rodent was always a constant. "At least Pikachu'll be with me..." Hazel tinted eyes turned off to the side, eyeing his league cap that hung on one of the bedposts.

"...Yes. We'll get out there and be the best Pokemon Masters in the... Whole world..." He declared drowsily, interrupted by a yawn. Ordinarily, sleeping at a time like this would be very difficult for the boy from Pallet. But, the fatigue of a long day's work hard worn on him and he drifted soundly off to sleep. A slumber that would lead into tomorrow; the beginning of a brand new adventure!


	5. Hitting rock bottom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash's training begins in earnest after reaching the rocky slopes, starting with a breathtaking battle between two of his most powerful pokemon. Meanwhile, Jessie, James, and Meowth answer their call from Giovanni, expecting another scathing review... But is this visit really that simple? Dawn, as well, has stepped foot into a new beginning of her own!

Hey, guys! Another fanart for the story here. http://hollylu.deviantart.com/art/Mt-Silver-Here-We-Come-467923293 Hope you like it!

* * *

 

The morning sun crossed over Kanto's horizon, signifying that the morning had arrived. Ash began to stir, letting out a rather loud yawn as he awoke. Clearly, waking up at sunrise wasn't something he did often. "Guess it's time to get up..." The teen sat up in his temporary bed, stretching his arms high over his head before dragging himself to his feet. The initially drowsy trainer received an odd burst of energy, however, when his cap was fitted upon his head, followed by his jeans, jacket, gloves, and shoes. Something about the iconic outfit sent adrenaline rushing through his veins, and Ash was ready to go.

Slinging his backpack over his shoulder, he made his way to the front desk. Nurse Joy was already wide awake, standing at the front desk. Pikachu sat atop it, a full tray of Pokeballs beside him. His ears perked up at the sight of his trainer, a curved smile spreading across his lips.

"Pikapi!" The mouse chanted, thrilled to see his trainer. He was greeted with a pat on the head, which earned a happy coo in response.

"Morning, Pikachu! Sleep well, buddy?" Ash beamed as he clipped the spheres to his belt, outstretching his arm to allow Pikachu up to his perch. Pikachu promptly dashed up to his shoulder, nuzzling his cheek against Ash's in an affectionate manner. "I guess that's a yes!" Ash remarked with laughter. "Thanks for the help, Nurse Joy! I guess we're gonna get going, now!"

"You're very welcome, Ash. But don't be too hasty!" The Nurse placed two items on the counter. "Here's a canteen and an energy bar to get you started! You wouldn't want to begin on an empty stomach, would you?" The teen scratched the back of his neck with an embarrassed chuckle, clearly having forgotten. "If you're going to thrive up there, you're going to have to be more careful than that! Now, the spring water from Mt.Silver is incredibly pure, so you should have no problems staying hydrated with this! If you run low on provisions, please feel free to visit at any time! There'll always be a bed and a meal here if you're in need!"

"Thanks a lot," Ash replied with a respectful bow of his head, grabbing the canteen and the snack before heading off towards the door. "Goodbye, Nurse Joy! I'll see you soon!" With a wave, Ash departed, heading into the great outdoors.

A short walk led him to a small wooded area, parallel with a riverbed that stretched around the western border of Route 28. The chilling air brought on quite the sensation when coupled with the welcoming warmth of the sun as well as the fresh pine scent that permeated the area.

"Well, guess it's time to get started! Come on out, everybody!" Ash shouted as he threw five Pokeballs into the air, releasing his entire team. Charizard was released, then Pidgeot, Lapras, Sceptile, and finally, Gible. "Good morning, guys! Now that we're up, let's warm up and wake up with little jog! What do ya say?" The group clearly wasn't as enthusiastic as their trainer, as Charizard let out a loud yawn and scratched its stomach. "Oh c'mon, it isn't that bad! Follow me and Pikachu!" He began to jog along the dirt path, soon to be followed by his team.

About an hour passed and the group soon made its rounds, coming back around to the Pokemon Center, where they'd begun. When Ash turned to check on the group, he found some to be faring better than others. Sceptile had handled the exercise quite easily, currently leaning against a tree with its signature twig in its mouth. Charizard and Gible didn't fare as well, both panting from the jog, but they were recovering nicely. Pidgeot and Lapras looked to be raring for more, as an hour of flight and swimming respectively was second nature to the two. Pikachu had finished the exercise comfortably, if not without a shortness of breath that likely wouldn’t last long.

"Alright, guys! Time to chow down and get some energy built up for later!" The trainer slung his backpack off his shoulder, quickly rummaging through it to find a portion of the Pokechow he'd packed.  He quickly set up a bowl for each of his companions, leaving them to eat. "Alright! Chow down, everyone!" Ash announced, peeling back the wrapper of his energy bar before taking a big bite of his own.

The group soon finished their meal, and were all promptly recalled to their Pokeballs, save for Pikachu of course. "Okay... I guess this is it!" Ash stood to full height, turning towards the colossal landmark. A brisk wind blew at the coattails of his jacket, causing it to billow dramatically in a way that was quite fitting to the moment. Majestic mountaintops stood tall, craning over the horizon as if to challenge Ash to scale it, to conquer the challenges that lie within and throughout. Needless to say, this challenge would be met with absolute boldness and certainty. Gloved fingers reached to grip the brim of the red cap, chocolate eyes shimmering in pure excitement. He could feel his blood boiling - every nerve in his body was restless in anticipation. A wide smile spread across the boy's features, reaching from cheek to z-marked cheek. "Mt.Silver..." He started, a whisper quickly turning into a dramatic shout, "HERE WE COME!"

* * *

 

"So, any guesses why we're here?" The query came from a violet-haired young man with sharp emerald eyes, baring a white Team Rocket uniform. Of course, this was none other than James. Sweat dripped down his brow and his fallen features reflected fearful anticipation of the meeting as he trudged down the hallways of Team Rocket's headquarters, feet dragging him unwillingly to what could be a very unfortunate meeting for the trio.

"Well, _obviously,_ the boss is going to praise us for all of our hard work and excellence! Why else would he call us in to see us personally?" Jessie, the magenta-haired, self-declared leader of the group chimed, throwing her arms to the air in dramatic emphasis.

"With our record, you've gotta be jokin'. We haven't brought back a single Pokemon since we got to Sinnoh! Chances are, I'll be surprised if da boss don't give us da boot." Meowth remarked in his strong accent, head hung much like his cohort, James. "Maybe he called us in so he could kick us out on the double."

"Now, that sour attitude won't get us anywhere! You two better pull yourselves together before we get in there, or the boss might punish you for talking that way, or worse, punish me for it! So pull yourselves together, or we're _all_ going to regret it!" James and Meowth were met with a glare that may as well have come from a Gengar, and promptly cowered in turn.

"Y-yes, ma'am!" James sputtered out, having flinched in face of her infamous temper.

Rolling his eyes, Meowth nodded along. "Whatever ya say, _boss._ " The two complied just in time, as they'd found themselves face to face with the double doors leading to Giovanni's office.

Jessie hesitated, a bit less confident than moments before, before twisting the knob, entering the dimly lit office.

Giovanni sat stationed in the center of the room behind his desk, His fingers were linked atop the desk, his expression unwavering with a characteristic emotionless gaze that immediately sent chills down the trio's spine.

Beside him was a dark-haired woman with ruby eyes framed with rounded glasses, standing motionless. It was the same woman they had spoken over the phone, when she had called them back to Kanto to begin with. On the opposite side of him was someone not so familiar; a tall, aged man in a lab coat, with bushy hair and a grey mustache, and an expression equally terrifying as Giovanni's. A monocle was placed over his left eye, further adding to his unusual appearance. Behind the head figure himself was a large screen, showing nothing but buzzing static at the moment.

Doing her best to talk over the lump in her throat, Jessie managed to speak first. "You... Wanted to see us, sir?" Her eyes turned on the boss, attempting to spot some kind of hint in his composure. Yet there wasn't a single sign of emotion, neither happiness nor anger. That was truly one of the most troubling things about Giovanni. He was impossible to read. A business-like composure was kept at almost all times. Worse off, that composure being broken was equally terrifying.

"I have something to discuss with the three of you. We've been keeping tabs of your exploits in Sinnoh," he went on, causing the hearts of the trio to nearly sink to their stomachs. "While you had little success in your endeavor to expand a Team Rocket branch in the region, you have brought us across some interesting details." The screen in the back began to play clips behind him on cue, showcasing shots from the Sinnoh League tournament. First came a clip of the Pitch-Black Pokemon, Darkrai. It felled a Magmortar in a few simple but potent moves, lighting the ambient room with a flashing Dark Pulse attack. "The winner of the league was using a Darkrai, as I'm sure you're aware, a legendary Pokemon that's exclusive to the Sinnoh region--a very interesting finding, indeed. What's more is that he was in possession of a Latios. Someone with that sort of talent in capturing mythical Pokemon is certainly of interest to Team Rocket."

Jessie, James, and Meowth visibly cringed, nearly going blue in the face over what they perceived to be their next mission. "Are... We supposed to go after Darkrai?" James barely whispered, not so eager to pursue someone so daunting. After seeing even the twerp fall so hard to him, such a thought was unthinkable.

"I have a feelin' dealin' with that thing'd end up with me havin' a very unpleasant catnap," Meowth added in, equally skeptical of the idea. As soon as their fears were voiced, though, Giovanni continued.

"Our sources will look into this matter further. However, what's more is that the boy you've spent so much time and money tracking--" The mentions of said time and money came out in a hiss, irritation briefly sneaking into his tone before slipping away. "--had managed to defeat his Darkrai, and even his Latios, consecutively."

The screen began to play more clips, focusing on the boy's climactic battle with the mysterious man. Gible's Draco Meteor rained down on the field before it fell victim to the wrath of the mythic Pokemon. Torkoal was shown being downed in a single blow. Sceptile, though, soon made its appearance, felling Darkrai in a single sequence of Leaf Blade attacks. Soon after was Pikachu clinging to Latios' back--the same Pikachu who they had sworn capture of for so many years. Their promise to their leader that would make all of their efforts worth their while. Consecutive Thunderbolts were dealt to the creature in the background, a testament to the mouse's mettle.

"I've come to the conclusion that this 'Ash' may not be such a waste of time, after all. You've chosen quite the interesting target for your efforts. However," His eyes narrowed, black irises glowering upon the trio of misfits. "The amount of money you have wasted in your exploits and the sheer number of failures has been unacceptable." The trio cowered in his wake, not daring to speak a word in protest. Every word he spoke was true, and there was no denying it.

"So now, I'll turn your attention to my assistant, Matori. She will explain the rest." He gestured to the woman standing beside him, who laid a manila folder down on the desk, opening it to reveal the files on Jessie, James, and Meowth.

"Despite your failures, you three are known for being especially loyal to Team Rocket. In addition, your pursuits have taken you all over the various regions around Kanto, giving you quite a bit of knowledge on your surroundings. These factors have led us to show a bit of forgiveness, but under a few conditions. You will be trained extensively as higher ranked members in Team Rocket, which means you will be receiving a promotion. To ensure your success in future missions, you will also be provided with new Pokemon and more advanced equipment to aid you in Team Rocket's objectives. In return, we will expect nothing but success in what we ask of you. Do you have any questions?"

The three appeared to be flabbergasted, nearly floored by the information that had just been relayed to them. They were actually being _promoted_!? It was like a dream come true, though none of them dared to get into one of their excited outbursts.

Jessie bowed her head to their superiors, speaking first once again. "We truly appreciate it... But yes. Who's that geezer over there?" She pointed with a gloved hand towards the elderly man, who hadn't budged an inch since the conversation began.

She quickly regretted her remark when met with a glare from Giovanni, but Matori was the first to speak, shouting at the redhead. "Do NOT speak to Dr.Zager that way!" She glowered at the three as a group, contempt etched into her facial features.

Giovanni raised a hand, quieting his aide. "That's enough, Matori. This is Dr.Zager. He is one of Team Rocket's top-ranked scientists and he will be overseeing you three in upcoming missions as well as providing you with the technology necessary to help you succeed."

"You'd do well to show me more respect in the future." The scientist added, scowling at the trio. "Aside from your primary target, there will be a number of missions required of you on the ground and I expect total cooperation and efficiency in doing your part. You've no need to worry yourself with any technological details. I'll provide you with all that you need to help Team Rocket grow and accomplish its objectives. Understood?"

"Sir," Jessie replied, bowing her head in respect, and James and Meowth mimicked the action. "We can promise you total success."

"Indeed," James added, raising his hand in a salute to Giovanni. "You've no need to worry about anymore failures!"

"When we're through, da whole world'll know and fear the Team Rocket name!" Meowth finished, feline eyes glowing with mischief. They'd been given a second chance, and the three resolved that they would succeed this time - and extend their reach to the stars above.

* * *

 

Meanwhile, back between Kanto and Johto, Ash had entered Silver Cave, marking the beginning of his newest adventure yet. The caverns were long and dimly lit, making for a rather interesting trek for Ash and Pikachu. What's more was that wild Pokemon could be found every which way. They posed quite the challenge. Each were every bit as powerful as the Sneasel they had faced, though many were far sturdier due to the nature of the Pokemon inhabiting the caves. One battle after another tested the mettle of Ash and his friends, and eventually, their hard work paid off as there was soon a light at the end of the tunnel.

A literal one, at that. Ash was forced to hold his hat down, shielding unadjusted eyes from the sudden drastic change in lighting. "Hey, look at that, Pikachu! Looks like we found a way out!" The teen let out childish laughter, running for the exit. It was a little peculiar. He'd been so eager to enter, but the first sign of the outdoors practically beckoned Ash to it. Maybe this cave training thing would take some getting used to...

The exit let to a small plateau above the route below, featuring a rocky cliff side that climbed up to the next highest ledge. Some grass and foliage matted the edges of the flat surface, making for a rather pleasant place for Ash to take a break. He made his way into the open area, stretching his arms over his head as he basked in the warmth of daylight. "Hey, not bad! I guess it can't hurt to stop here for a bit, right?"

Pikachu nodded his head, craning his head back as he soaked in the comforting warmth, long ears folding behind his head. "Pika~!" He cooed, stretching as well to soothe the faint soreness that had been dealt to him through multiple challenging battles.

"We shouldn't stop training now, though..." Gloved hands were placed upon the trainer's hips as he briefly pondered his next course of action. "Hey, I know!" The light bulb had gone off in his hand, and he reached for two of the spherical devices on his belt, tossing both of them into the air. "Charizard, Sceptile! Come on out!"

On one side of Ash, the large winged lizard appeared, letting out a huff of hot flames from its mouth. Charizard stood battle-ready, both of its arms folded over its beige-toned chest. The inferno on the tip of its tail roared loudly as ever, a sure sign of its energy and health.

Sceptile appeared on the opposite side, promptly inserting its signature twig between its lips, chewing on the small plant. Golden eyes turned towards the other powerhouse present, locking with aqua hues. Before Ash could even utter a word, the challenge had been silently declared. Sceptile had heard stories of Ash's ace in the hole. Tt had been glorified for its strength and tenacity in every description.

While Charizard hadn't been around to hear any such thing about the Forest Pokemon, its gaze said it all. It was being presented and it looked tough enough, even if it was a grass type. Challenge accepted.

"Alright! I guess you guys're ready, so let's get started! Sceptile, use Quick Attack, and Charizard, you use Steel Wing!"

The latter flapped its wings, quickly taking to the skies as the two extremities began to glow, taking on a silver shine.

Sceptile judged its altitude to be a bit too great for an effective head-on attack, but needless to say, that wouldn't stop the speedy grass-type. It quickly leapt onto a boulder adorning the rock wall, jumping from one height to the next before launching itself at Charizard, blurred silver light trailing its form.

The soaring fire-type didn't relent, letting out a loud ferocious cry as both wings swung towards Sceptile, sure to land with devastating impact.

Both combatants finally crashed, steely limbs colliding with the entire body of Sceptile who compensating with speed where he failed in power. The aerial clash made its intensity known with a booming shockwave, forcing Ash to guard himself from a gust of wind and dust. The two broke apart moments after, allowing Sceptile to fall to the ground below, skidding before coming to a halt. Charizard pulled back in the air, letting out a huff. So far, the two seemed evenly matched.

"Man, talk about power..." Ash commented under his breath, marveling at the strength that had been displayed so early in the battle. "Charizard, you start using Flamethrower! Sceptile, use Quick Attack to dodge it!"

The fire type complied, craning its neck back before throwing its head forward, unleashing the inferno towards the ground. By the time the ground was scorched though, Sceptile had been long gone. Fierce blue eyes scanned the ground, finally spotting it standing near the rock wall. A roar followed another burst of flames, striking the boulder behind Sceptile, who had jumped out of the way. Charizard didn't relent, though, spraying a continuous stream of heat along the wall as its opponent scaled the rocks, jumping from one targeted location to the next.

The higher he jumped, though, the closer the flames came to scorching its body. The residual heat was becoming uncomfortable, and Sceptile decided to leap forward, heading straight for Charizard with its Quick Attack. The assault crossed the dragon with amazing expertise, landing a weak blow before coming to a halt on the ground below.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Storm!" Ash shouted, counting on the grass type to stage a powerful counter attack. Each of the seeds upon its back lit up in succession, gradually charging the powerful attack. But, it wasn't fast enough, shown by yet another torrent of flames that threatened to swallow Sceptile. Of course, it wasn't going to take that sitting down. Powerful legs sprang the grass type into the air above, completely avoiding the peril. By now, it had found the opportunity to attack. The Forest Pokemon let out a cry, letting loose a potent flurry of energized leaves that headed straight for Sceptile's winged adversary.

At the last moment, Charizard managed to swoop out of the way of the blast, narrowly avoiding what could have been substantial damage. Cycle of leaves soared past it, only to crash into the mountainside behind it. They razored through, lodging themselves among some rocks and dislodging others. Those went flying, a number of larger ones striking Charizard in the back. The fire/flying hybrid cried out in pain, hovering uneasily before managing to regain its position in the air.

Ash stared on, caught completely off-guard by the occurrence. Rocks proved to be a weak point for Charizard... That was interesting. "Okay, Charizard, Flamethrower! And Sceptile, use Leaf Storm, now!" The dragon above opened its mouth wide, gathering heat before launching a brilliant flame towards its opponent below.

Sceptile responded in kind by countering with its own powerful move. Each of the bulbs on its back lit up brilliantly, quickly gathering energy that culminated in a brilliant spiral of shining leaves, colliding directly with Flamethrower. The powerful winds behind Leaf Storm managed to push back Flamethrower quite a bit... But it would only last so long. One leaf after another was incinerated by Flamethrower, slowly eating away the attack in a fierce struggle between the two moves.

"Both of you! Give it all you've got! Don't hold back one bit!" Ash shouted, throwing two closed fists outward in dramatic encouragement. As climactic as the struggle was, though, Sceptile was losing ground. His typing just wasn't cutting it. The two poured more power into their attacks, lighting the battlefield with brilliant splendor, sending flares and scorched projectiles every which way. Finally, the attacks erupted, going off in a deafening explosion. Smoke was thrown across the plateau, crossing Ash and Pikachu with an unpleasant wave of heat.

The debris soon began to clear, first revealing Ash and Pikachu, the latter with his arms crossed over his body. One eye opened, finally, free of the sting of the aftermath. Sceptile and Charizard became visible soon after, both retaining their original positions. The dragon above was marked with a few burns and scratches, still raring to go. Sceptile, however, wasn't so lucky. Its arms were crossed over its chest, one eye wincing from the impact. It was covered in burns, its body trembling slightly from the damage it'd been dealt.

"Sceptile...!" Ash uttered, just barely loud enough for Pikachu. The worry showed in his eyes, but he refused to shout his concern, knowing full well how much pride played a part in this battle. _'This is no good... Sceptile looks like it's on its last legs here. Charizard's fire type moves just give it too much of an advantage.'_ Ash was lost in his own thoughts, oblivious until Pikachu pointed forward, shouting to get his attention.

"Pikapi!"

Ash turned his sights toward the two Pokemon, spotting just what Pikachu had been pointing out. Sceptile's body had been enveloped in a luminous green glow. "Hey, hold on... That's Overgrow!" Ash shouted, recognizing the ability immediately. That meant it was at its limits. This was its chance, if it were to have one. "Sceptile, get in there and use Leaf Blade!"

Shrugging off the pain, the grass type didn't waste a moment, springing off the ground with its powerful legs to close the distance between itself and Charizard. Each pair of leaves adorning its forearms seemingly merged into one, taking the shape of a shining scythe of natural energy. Both shone with great radiance, clearly powered up by Overgrow. "Sceeeep... TILE!" It cried out, slicing Charizard across the chest with both blades, overcoming the fire type with remarkable speed.

"Now, Charizard! Use Seismic Toss!" While Ash did have his eye in helping Sceptile overcome his weakness, this training was meant to benefit both titans equally - and he wouldn't shortchange either by holding back a bit. Still reeling from Leaf Blade, Charizard corrected itself before lurching forward, wrapping both of its arms tightly around Sceptile's body. Startled, the Forest Pokemon began to struggle, trying to squirm its way out of the other's grasp. It proved fruitless as Charizard soared higher, holding an iron grip.

"If Sceptile doesn't do something, he doesn't have a chance..." Ash mused to himself, staring upward at fire type climbing the skies. The boy squinted as the burning sun shone into his eyes, holding his cap down to block out the bright light. "...That's it! Sceptile, use Leaf Storm! One more time!"

While the consecutive uses may have become tiring by this point, desperate times called for desperate measures. The golden seeds lining Sceptile's back took on a bright glow, gathering energy. But, the powerful grass type move wouldn't go off without a struggle.

Charizard began its standard procedure for its Seismic Toss attack, turning into a full loop that was enough to make the weakening grass type dizzy. Several more followed, adding to the dull headache that plagued the grass type. Fortunately for it, the seeds on its back continued to gather energy, and not a moment too soon, as Charizard turned straight into a dive, heading for the ground below.

Finally, the grass type unleashed his wrath, revealing a brilliant twister of natural energy. The blast launched at point-blank range, enveloping Charizard in a ferocious beam of light.

A deafening explosion made everything else seem insignificant, forcing Ash and Pikachu to once again shield themselves from the impact. Sceptile was sent careening towards the ground below, just barely able to catch its bearings and skid across the scorched ground, clawing its way onto all fours. It was clearly barely hanging onto consciousness, with various burns and scratches covering its body. The smoke cleared to reveal Charizard standing on its hind legs, likewise marked with a number of scorched marks. Unlike its opponent, though, it still seemed to be hanging in there, fiercely staring down its adversary.

Normally strong legs trembled, barely supporting the body of a creature whose heart was willing to fight but body was unable. Narrowed eyes refused to leave Charizard's gaze, bared teeth clenched in determination. Soon, Sceptile's body gave in, allowing it to fall to the ground and fade from consciousness. Charizard had won.

Ash didn't hesitate to rush over, kneeling down to his fallen Sceptile. "Man... That had to hurt." He reached to sling the creature's arm over his shoulder, walking it towards the cliff side. "But you put up a great fight... You too, Charizard! Awesome job! Take a good rest, alright?" The dragon nodded, letting out a fiery huff before laying down upon the ground of the plateau. Sceptile was set against the wall, hunched over unconscious.

The trainer slid his backpack off his shoulder, unzipping one of the pockets before rummaging through it. "Here... I've got just the thing to fix you right up!" Ash pulled a small blue fruit out of the pouch - an Oran Berry. "Here... Eat this, and you'll be feeling better in no time!" The fruit was held up to Sceptile's mouth, who was beginning to come to consciousness.

It took a bite out of the berry, feeling its stamina slowly return to its body. "Hey, you're feeling better! That was an awesome battle, Sceptile!" Ash praised, only to be shrugged off as the grass type stood at its full height, immediately leaping up the cliff side to stand on the highest ledge. Down below, Ash stared momentarily before nodding his head. “I guess you want to be alone right now... I understand.” He nodded to the Pokemon above, turning his back to give it some peace.

"Alright, everyone! Let's get some training done!" His remaining three Pokeballs were thrown forward, releasing Pidgeot, Lapras, and Gible. "Are you guys ready to get tougher, or what?" Ash pumped a fist in the air, displaying enthusiasm that his companions so obviously shared, each of them letting out a cry of agreement.

Meanwhile, the grass type watched down from above, leaning against the mountainside behind him, chewing on his signature twig. It watched on with a disinterested gaze, only able to focus on the battle that it had just lost. To put it simply, it was overwhelmed. The last thing it had expected out of this training session had come true and on their very first day of exercises. Not only did Charizard boast a twofold type advantage over himself, but its power had been simply incredible. It was certainly stronger than any fire type it had faced, and in all honesty, posed a greater challenge than even the Darkrai he'd felled no more than a week ago. Even May's Blaziken paled in comparison. While he hadn't been completely helpless, he was certainly outmatched. That was more than enough to wound its pride.

It continued to watch the others as the day went by, engaging in fierce battles and training exercises, most of them socializing all the while. While it did look fun, he could admit, there was no use in training when he'd had the wind taken out of his sails. All Sceptile could do was ponder the match, analyzing the events at every turn. Day turned to night, and it hadn't moved from that spot, except to come down for dinner. Still, it stood at the foot of the cliff, keeping to itself even after the other Pokemon had returned to their Pokeballs for a good night's rest. A gentle campfire burned, and only Ash and Pikachu, pardon Sceptile himself, were still awake.

Ash lay back in his sleeping bag, arms folded behind his head with charcoal eyes staring blankly at the stars above. Like his stubborn companion, he found it very difficult to sleep when there was something on his mind. That match today... It had been a rather brutal one, and it was obvious Sceptile wasn't happy.

"Man... He really took it hard," he spoke aloud, catching Pikachu's attention.

"Pika," the mouse replied, who was resting his head on Ash's chest. He felt badly for his friend. He always knew the grass type to be extremely prideful and he'd certainly earned his stature.

"I've gotta find a way for him to fight it... To give Sceptile a fair shot." He would have to at least put Sceptile on equal footing with Charizard. "But how...? He can fly and he's a fire type. Sceptile doesn't have any moves to deal with that." The teen's mind began to wander, contemplating the battle just as his Pokemon was. As powerful as Leaf Blade was, it proved fruitless against such an opponent. Quick Attack was useful as always, but too weak to deal any definitive blow on its own. Leaf storm was powerful, but risky to use, and still weak against fire and flying types. Though the last move did deal some damage to Charizard indirectly, when dislodged rocks and boulders had hit it following the explosion.

"Wait a sec..." Ash jolted up, both eyes going wide in realization. "...That's it! Sceptile, come down here!" He shouted to the cliff above, catching the Forest Pokemon's attention.

It made its way down in several swift jumps, landing beside his sleepy trainer.

"I think I've got an idea on how to give you a better shot at beating Pokemon like Charizard... It's just a hunch, but it might work! What do ya say? You willing to give it a shot?" Ash proposed, raising one of his fists to Sceptile with a smile curved onto his lips.

"...Tile!" After a brief pause, Sceptile threw its own armed forward, bumping elbows with his sitting trainer. Whatever Ash had come up with, he trusted would be good enough. Whatever it took to overcome this obstacle would be worth the effort.

"Awesome! Then we'll try our best, starting tomorrow!"

* * *

 

Lilycove City was absolutely thriving. Dawn’s fingers gripped tightly to the railing, a wide grin on her face. Resting on her head and shoulders, Piplup likewise let out numerous chirps, just as ecstatic. Hanging onto her ankle, Buneary seemed star struck. The whole group was eager to begin the business for which Dawn had been given her ticket to Hoenn: pokestyling—to the next level!

With her bag already packed and upon her shoulders, it was evident the girl had learned plenty on efficiency in luggage while traveling from her journey through Sinnoh. All the same, within the bag were two very special outfits; whether they were necessities or not depended upon whether one understood their purpose. One belonged to Buneary and the other to Piplup. The normal type’s was covered in glitter and the most girly of pinks. The starter’s, on the other hand, was leather and had a hard edge to it. They would be doing photoshoots and shows here. Dawn, in all likelihood, would be showing along with them. She was very excited—she wouldn’t be competing for a Ribbon Cup while down in Hoenn, but the chance to show in the curious kind of contests they boasted would be fun.

Besides, she’d been a little bored and lonely at home. It’d do her good to get out and about.

“All ashore that’s goin’ ashore!”

That was Dawn’s cue!

Walking off the ship, Dawn easily spotted her mentor among the crowd. Incredibly beautiful and keeping a Lopunny at her side, Paris stood out.

“You made it! Good to see you again,” the pink haired woman greeted.

Dawn waved, as did Piplup who was upon her shoulders and Buneary who trailed at her feet. “It’s good to see you, too! So, let’s get started, huh?”

“Of course.” Paris turned, gesturing uphill and northeast of the pier.

The two girls began walking, exchanging pleasantries and news all the while. Paris explained that Dawn’s pokemon would be doing some promotional work, but that it shouldn’t take her from home too terribly long. She also complimented the younger girl, pointing out that she only seemed to be getting prettier as time went on. Of course, Dawn was torn between being embarrassed and automatically but truthfully complimenting Paris in turn. All in all, they got along swimmingly.

Lilycove was beautiful, Dawn realized. It was open but not rural. Though she’d been in plenty of cities, she’d grown up in Twinleaf Town. It was always exciting to visit more urban areas. She wondered what she should pick up for her mother. Maybe some of the foreign fashions? What about her other friends…? It’d been a while since she’d talked to Brock, she knew. Maybe she should get him some cologne with a cheeky note about it helping him with the ladies? Her mind turned to Ash, then. Perhaps Paris noticed her slip in conversation. She’d openly discussed her other gift options, but the moment the mention of Ash passed her lips, she got a goofier grin. He’d probably do best with some new gloves, she joked, brushing off her sudden wish that he was there for this. He’d know his way around Hoenn since he’d been there already, but she didn’t know how he’d feel about all of this high style business.

However, Dawn was as much a battler as she was a fashionista, and her pokemon were no different.

Piplup let out a chirp, pointing to an empty training field as they neared their destination. The contest hall was momentarily forgotten.

“It’s been a while since we battled, huh?” Dawn muttered. She looked over to Paris. “Do you mind? We usually use Mom’s whenever we want, so I feel bad about telling them no.” Besides, she wanted to, as well.

Paris shook her head. “I wanna see what you can do! Go for it.”

Nodding, the coordinator and her team made their way to the field. Paris waited on the sidelines, her arms crossed.

Putting Piplup down, the bluenette grinned. “Alright, Piplup, spotlight and center field! Hydro Pump straight down! Buneary, use Ice Beam on the Hydro Pump!” Following her instructions, Piplup was rocketed into the air. As he ascended, his tower of water turned into a pillar of ice thanks to Buneary. Dawn nodded. Right. She knew what to do from here. “Buneary, use Bounce to join him up there!”

“Neary!” she called, quickly reaching the top of the tower.

“Piplup, use Spinning Bubble Beam!” the girl called. “Buneary, freeze them with Ice Beam!”

Twirling in the center of the tower, Piplup obeyed. Soon, there were beautiful frozen spheres atop the tower.

“So, she’s going to play like she’s an architect today, huh?” Paris mused.

“Lop,” the normal type agreed.

Soon, the building continued. “Ice Beam!” Bridges were formed. “Hydro Pump!” Another tower. “Dizzy Punch!” Arches and windows were forced into the building. After half an hour, a dazzlingly beautiful two-tower castle stood before them all. Dawn held the exhausted Buneary and Piplup, the two little pokemon panting and looking proud of themselves. Paris walked around the base of the tower, touching the surface of it reverently.

“It’s incredible!”

A shadow passed over Dawn’s face, blocking out the sun which shone over the top of the tower. “Thank you! They’re really… good…” She looked up.

Atop the clear blue spires, a single white creature stood. It leered down at Dawn, red eyes intense. However, as soon as she noticed it, it leaped off into the bushes on the side of the field. Dawn stood for a moment more, confused.

“Dawn!” Paris called out again.

The coordinator snapped out of it. “Huh? Sorry, I saw a weird white pokemon!”

“Well, Wingull are pretty common around here—but they’re in Sinnoh, too!”

“It definitely wasn’t a Wingull,” Dawn muttered as she and Paris exited the field. The tower would melt shortly, but there were drains installed on those fields that would take care of it just fine. After returning Buneary and shifting the way she held Piplup, she got out her pokedex. In a minute, she found her pokemon.

The girl quietly assured herself of what she had seen: “An Absol, huh?”

“Well, we’re here, Dawn!” Paris exclaimed, gesturing to the contest hall. “But… we should visit a pokemon center first, haha! We need our little models in top condition!”


	6. At the 'Top of the Food Chain!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash begins his training in the wilderness, but surprisingly, he finds that he's not alone! A true and tested veteran agrees to battle Ash. How will the determined underdog hold up against age and experience!?

Soon morning came, heralded by the shining light of the sun crossing over the mountain. Sunlight shone over the small clearing, stirring a particular Pokemon trainer from his slumber. Try as he might to shield his eyes from the morning sun, it was no use.. "Alright, alright, I'm up. Man, the sun's gotta be the worst alarm ever." His eyes turned to Pikachu, who slumbered beside him. "...Okay, the second worst alarm."

 

Ash stood, letting out a loud yawn as he stretched his arms high over his head. A short walk brought him to a creek flowing over the edge of the plateau. He knelt down, splashing a bit of water onto his olive skin. His hands dipped under briefly, soaking them in the brisk body of water. This, combined with the chilly morning air was enough to wake the trainer up completely. He turned back towards the campsite, only to find Pikachu and Sceptile rousing from their slumber as well. "Morning, guys!" The two were greeted with his signature goofy grin and responded in kind. Pikachu chimed the same message in return, and the Forest Pokemon simply gave his trainer a nod.

 

"Guess it's time to get started. Okay, everyone, come on out!" Ash made his way over to his backpack, grabbing four Pokeballs before tossing them forward. Pidgeot, Lapras, Charizard, and Gible appeared, each looking wide awake, ready to start the day. "Okay, we're all gonna start training now. I’m going to split you guys into pairs. Lapras and Gible, you guys work on dodging and accuracy together at the creek. Pidgeot and Charizard, I want you guys to work on your attacks and aerial maneuvers together at the front of the cave. Pikachu, Sceptile, you're coming with me!" The group nodded along, turning to their partners to get to work.

 

Meanwhile, Ash donned his cap, jacket, and backpack before making his way into the cave. "Sceptile, we're gonna try to work on the rocks in here and see if we can find any clues to you learning a rock type move. Sound good?" He was met with a nod, and the two stopped at a spot Ash deemed sufficient. "Now, let's go! Pikachu, use Iron Tail to knock some rocks down!" Pikachu obliged, leaping up high to strike the cave walls with a series of blows, shattering stone with his solid steel extremity. Several boulders were dislodged from the walls, falling down towards the trio of companions.

 

"Sceptile, just do what you did when you fought Charizrd!" Sceptile looked dubious, but was quick to comply. Hazel eyes narrowed, focusing on each of the rocks as the grass type raised his arms above his head. A faint glow began to surround him, a strange sixth sense making itself known to the Pokemon. He felt in harmony with the stones, somehow. As quick as the sensation came, though, it left and he was forced to leap out of the way of a falling rock. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted another falling towards Ash.

 

Before the male could even think to react, a boulder had been split in two right over his head, each half falling harmlessly to the ground. Sceptile landed with grace, the leaves on his forearm glowing brightly from the cleanly executed Leaf Blade attack.

 

Still recoiling from what unfolded before him, Ash shot a grateful smile to his Pokemon. "Man, that was close... Thanks a lot! Did you make any progress or figure anything out?" Sceptile paused, hesitating before turning back towards the wall of the cave. It was pummeled once more with a series of frustrated Pound attacks, dislodging several more chunks of stone. The Forest Pokemon did his best to harmonize with the chunks of rock, hoping to exert some control over them the same way he was able to with grass type moves. Unfortunately, though, he wasn't having much luck.

 

Many more attempts followed, leaving the cave floor littered with sliced boulders, broken up rubble, and a couple of very frustrated individuals. Letting out a sigh, Ash climbed to his feet. "Alright, this isn't going anywhere." Ash lamented, his voice weighed down in disappointment. "Guess we should head ba-"

 

Before the word could leave Ash's lips, the ground began to rumble, giving way violently to none other than a roaring Onix! Its eyes looked strained and tired, showing the signs of a very angry, irritated Pokemon. An earth-rattling roar followed as the rock snake lunged towards Ash, Pikachu, and Sceptile with the sort of malice that only a truly enraged Pokemon could exhibit.

 

Ash shouted at the top of his lungs, his heart racing at the sight of the titanic creature heading towards the trio. "Let’s get outta here!" Ash turned on his heels, running for the campsite, only to feel his heart sink as the rocky leviathan's long form was blocking the path. Dark hues darted left and right, searching desperately for a sign of salvation. Lo and behold, a source of light could be seen towards the other end of the cavern. "I think I can see an exit... Let's make a break for it!"

 

Meanwhile, the adolescent's scream quickly alerted his other Pokemon, who gathered at the entrance to the cave. Charizard and Pidgeot hovered above, scanning the area before taking off above the cavern. Lapras took off down the creek in the same direction, with Gible riding on her back. Onix began to thrash about, slamming its head on the cave wall. The impact dislodged several more boulders, sending them down towards Ash and company.

 

"Look Sceptile, it's using Rock Slide!" The moment he made the observation, a rock fell painfully close to his backside, forcing him to abandon the thought and run ahead. _'No time for that, Ash. We've gotta get out of here!'_

 

Ash and his two companions sprinted out of the remainder of the tunnel, finally coming to a halt when they entered broad daylight. The rumbling and rattling finally came to a halt, leading the trainer to believe that Onix had given up his chase. On the other end, he found all four of his remaining Pokemon surrounding the exit, having been waiting for Ash's escape. Upon finding their trainer in one piece, the four seemed to relax, relieved that he hadn't been hurt. Ash was bent over his knees, letting out an exasperated sigh now that he had the chance to rest.

 

"Well, what's all this commotion? I could have sworn I heard a pissed off Onix. I guess you are the cause of that, aren't ya, boy?" A deep, gravelly voice could be heard, nearly scaring the Pallet trainer out of his socks. He turned to find himself face to face with the one thing he'd never expected - another human being up in the mountains. He was a tall, burly man, sporting a white martial arts uniform. His face was creased and aged, amber eyes betraying his old appearance, full of life and energy upon first glance. He definitely appeared to be of the mountains; his beard was unshaved and hair tied back behind his head.

 

Ash reached to scratch the back of his neck, flashing a sheepish smile. "Eheh... Yeah, I guess I was. I was trying to figure out how to teach Sceptile here how to use a rock type move." He gestured to the grass type beside him. "But, I guess Onix didn't like all the noise..."

 

The older male raised a brow. "Well hittin' around rocks certainly isn't going to get you anywhere. But, still... I'm surprised to see someone your age up here. Ya gotta be awful tough to rough it out in - or to even be allowed here! Unless you snuck in?"

 

"Oh, no!" Ash waved his hands in front of him, quickly denying the notion. "I got permission from Professor Oak to train here. I'm trying to get stronger and learn more about battling so I can become a Pokemon Master!" Ash reached for the brim of his cap, adjusting it out of habit when he spoke of his dream. Realizing that neither had properly introduced themselves yet, Ash quickly corrected this. "Oh, and I'm Ash Ketchum. This is my partner Pikachu, and my other pokemon: Sceptile, Pidgeot, Charizard, Lapras, and Gible!" He gestured to each pokemon respectively.

 

"Nice to meet ya, Ash! I'm Randy, a blackbelt trainer who lives up in these here mountains. If you're looking to become a Master, then you chose a pretty good place to toughen up." He paused, studying the trainer and his teammates alike. They had flocked to his defense rather quickly, so they must have been well trained. "...Ash. What would you say to a battle? I want to see just how tough your Pokemon are!"

 

Ash's black hues glistened, the boy's heart already beginning to race at the thought. This guy looked like he's been up here for heck of long time. If he was able to live here among so many powerful pokemon, just imagine how strong he could be! "I accept! Ready whenever you are, Randy! I'm not gonna lie, battling someone tough as you is pretty exciting!" Ash ran a good distance to allow for a battlefield between for the two, standing in a wide stance opposite of Randy. Ash's Pokemon had scattered to the side of their makeshift arena, each eager to get in on the action. "Okay, ready when you are!"

 

"We'll have a three on three match," the blackbelt announced whilst raising three fingers. "I want to see what your pokemon are capable of. Now feel free to choose your first pokemon!" He held a pokeball in his palm, waiting patiently for the younger trainer, meeting him with a stern gaze that was almost unnerving in discipline.

 

"Right!" Ash nodded, pausing momentarily before turning to his team. "I want you guys to watch this battle, alright? We're about to go head to head with someone really strong!" The group nodded. Ash looked between each of his pokemon, soon making his first choice. "Lapras, you're up first!" Ash pointed toward the improvised battlefield, and the Transport pokemon soon made its way opposite of Randy.

 

"Lapras? Interesting choice for this terrain... Poliwrath! Time to battle!" A pokeball was thrown with vigor, bursting open to release the water/fighting type hybrid. "Poliwrath!" The creature chanted its name in a bellowing cry, flexing both of its arms, fists raised over its head. "You can make the first move, Ash!"

 

"Alright, we will! Lapras, start off with Surf and lead into Body Slam!" Before his opponent could get a handle on what he'd planned, the water type let out a high-pitched cry, conjuring a small tidal wave that swept from under his body, carrying him onto the current just above the battlefield. Soon, gravity did its job and his heavy body was falling towards Poliwrath. It and its trainer were equally stunned. Sure enough, the attack was successful. Poliwrath let out a pained grunt, struggling before pulling itself from under Lapras' body.

 

"I have to admit, that was a pretty odd move you just made... Not bad." Randy complimented, which left a smirk on Ash's lips.

 

The young trainer brushed his thumb quickly under the bridge of his nose, a bit proud of the combination himself. "Hah, thanks! But we're just getting started!"

 

"Don't get too cocky. It may get the better of you! Poliwrath, use Mind Reader!" Poliwrath's eyes fixated on Lapras, each emitting an eerie purple glow. Ash grit his teeth, brows furrowing at the situation he was now in.

 

 _'Now they're gonna have an easier time landing hits... I've gotta do something!'_ He pointed a finger forward, shouting his next command. "Lapras, use Ice Beam, back to back! Don't let it get a hit on you!"

 

Lapras let out a loud cry in response, charging a chilling sphere of energy in his mouth before firing it towards Poliwrath. Poliwrath made a quick leap to the side, avoiding the ray completely. Still, the assault continued, several more freezing blasts homing in on the defending water type. The fighting type ducked, jumped, and leapt from rock to rock with impressive agility, avoiding every single attack. It seemed quite nimble for such a burly Pokemon, but Ash didn't have time to be frustrated with this, as another command bellowed through the mountain air.

 

"Poliwrath, use Rock Slide!" Randy shouted and Poliwrath threw its arms upwards once more, conjuring a rather daunting attack. A series of boulders and rocks appeared from seemingly out of nowhere, levitating above the field before raining down towards Lapras. Needless to say, this would end very badly if Ash didn't think of something quick.

 

"... Lapras, use Water Pulse! Shoot all those rocks outta the sky!"

 

The Pokemon opened his mouth wide, firing off a pressurized sphere of water towards one of the boulders, bursting it to pieces. Another blast followed and a number of more after that shot into the air, blowing away one incoming rock after the other. Lapras exhibited excellent marksmanship, knocking every single rock out of the sky. Ash let out a sigh of relief, but said relief was short lived.

 

"Dynamic Punch!" A throaty yell from the martial artist caught Ash's attention, but by the time he could think to call for a counterattack, Poliwrath had lunged toward Lapras, throwing a powerful haymaker toward the ice type’s head. The punch connected, sending the aquatic Pokemon reeling from super-effective damage.

 

"Lapras!" Ash called out, inwardly cringing at the damage. That Poliwrath looked really strong - and Lapras was part ice type, too. "Are you alright?" He was far from it - Ice Beams fired wildly every which way with no target at all, and Lapras' eyes were glazed over with an eerie fury. Dynamic Punch had caused confusion. "Lapras, try and snap out of it!" Ash pleaded, just before being forced to duck under a stray beam that came inches away from freezing the poor trainer.

 

"Let's finish this! Poliwrath! One more Dynamic Punch!" The Tadpole Pokemon didn't waste a moment, rushing towards its opponent, ducking under a stray Water Pulse as it pulled back its fist, winding up for a devastating final blow. The attack struck true, sending the Transport Pokemon reeling across the battlefield. He finally landed on his side, the swirls in its eyes indicating lost consciousness. Lapras was out of the battle!

 

A low growl left the trainer from Pallet. He'd lost the first round. Not only that, but he had lost by a pretty wide margin. Still, he managed a smile as he held out Lapras' pokeball, returning him in a flash of red light. "You were awesome, Lapras. Thanks for putting up a good fight!" Although he'd shown his thanks and put on a nice face, it was very transparent. Sweat was dripping down his brow, and his gloved hands were tightened into fists. He'd gone into this confident as ever, but this Randy guy had stomped him out at the very beginning. Still, it had only just begun. Now he would just have to try twice as hard!

 

Ash's other Pokemon looked on in shock. Seeing Ash lose so decisively wasn't something they witnessed often. This guy must have been something special. "You guys are pretty tough... But, we're not backin' down yet! Pidgeot, you're up next! Let's show 'em what we're made of!" Ash turned to the avian, pointing dramatically towards the battlefield. He was answered by a shrill battle cry as Pidgeot spread her wings wide, soaring over the battlefield before maintaining steady flight over Ash's side. _'That was no good... He creamed us. I'm gonna need to really be serious now. No more goofin' around!'_ Pitch black brows furrowed, Ash's expression hardening with determination. One of his hands reached up for his cap, gripping the bill before sliding it to the back of his head. The older man raised a brow at the gesture, but anyone who knew Ash would know that this could only mean one thing - Ash meant business.

 

"A flying type... Good choice. But type advantages won't decide this battle! Poliwrath, Mind Reader!" It would be much to Randy's surprise, though, that Ash was one step ahead of him.

 

"Pidgeot, Quick Attack! Now!" Unlike Lapras, Pidgeot took no time at all, its body surrounding herself in white streaks of light before crashing straight into the water type's stomach. Poliwrath stumbled back, having lost concentration needed for the attempted move.

 

"Use Rock Slide!" Randy called out once more, and his orders were followed. A number of boulders appeared once more, heading straight for the flying type that was already close by. Ash, though, wasn't going to take that sitting down.

 

"Pidgeot, use Aerial Ace, now!" Once again, Pidgeot became shrouded in light as she pulled up towards the sky, entering a loop that allowed her to avoid the rocks completely. A final boulder was very close to hitting the flying type before she disappeared completely. Before Randy could think to respond, Poliwrath was struck in the stomach once more by a smoothly executed attack from Pidgeot. She quickly pulled back into the air above, gaining distance from the formidable water type.

 

"Now! Let's finish it! Use Sky Attack, now!" Ash shouted to the heavens, pumping a fist into the air with vigor. Large beige wings were spread out on each side of Pidgeot as she charged her finishing move, a vibrant white glow overcoming her form. After several seconds, Pidgeot took off with speed that seemed to nearly cause a sonic boom, generating a strong wind that bellowed down over the battlefield. Poliwrath was doing its best to regain its composure, climbing to its feet in preparation for the incoming attack.

 

"Fight back, Poliwrath, use Dynamic Punch!" The blackbelt roared, shouting encouragement to his Pokemon. Energy began to gather in the hybrid's fists, accumulating in what could be a devastating counterattack. Before the fist could be swung, though, Sky Attack struck home, overwhelming the battlefield with a booming explosion.

 

The smoke soon began to clear, revealing Poliwrath to be unconscious. Satisfaction was reflected in Ash's smile and his tension seemed to fade. While the first round hadn't been at all in his favor, Pidgeot had picked up the slack quickly, delivering a flawless victory. The trainer's morale was back, and he didn't plan on letting up now. One pokemon down meant there were two more to go!

 

"Return, Poliwrath!" Randy held out its pokeball, returning the unconscious Pokemon before throwing another sphere. "Impressive! But let's see how you handle Primeape!" Ash was greeted with the Pig Monkey next, whom let an angry huff out of its flat nostrils the moment it entered the arena. It hopped around on its short, shackled hind legs, both fists raised in front of its body.

 

"A Primeape... I have a feeling it's only gonna get harder from here." Ash noted aloud, reflecting on his own experiences with the pokemon. He'd raised one himself - though 'raised' could be used loosely. His had quite the temper and plenty of power to match, making it rather difficult to handle. Like with Poliwrath, it was probably best to overwhelm it before it had the chance to stage a furious assault. "Alright, Pidgeot! Round two! Take Primeape on with Aerial Ace!" Ash threw his arm forward, pointing towards the opponent, and Pidgeot quickly pursued. A quick loop increased her momentum, making success a sure thing as she swooped down to crash into the fighting type.

 

"Primape! Roll out and use Thunderpunch!" Randy shouted loudly, pulling his arm back before punching into the air with remarkable might. So much so, that it might be comparable with the power of his Primape. The pokemon’s tiny eyes narrowed as its opponent closed in within an arm's reach, its arms tucking into its body. It rolled to the side at the very last second, leaving Pidgeot to pass through thin air. The bird frantically checked left and right for its opponent, having no luck. A cry from her trainer caught its attention first.

 

"Pidgeot! Look out!" But it was too late. The air was pushed from her lungs, a sharp pain striking through her entire body. Primape's fist was buried into her stomach, the limb dancing with sparks of electricity. A deadly uppercut had landed, sending the bird sprawling across the battlefield.

 

"Pidgeot!" Ash called out, nails digging into his palms as he had watched his proud pokemon sustain a painful blow. "Hang in there, and fight back with Quick Attack!" The avian flapped her wings, correcting her flight just as she skirted the ground. A quick turn brought her shooting back towards Primeape, silver light trailing her that gave her the appearance of a comet. Before it could fight back, the Pig Monkey was struck hard, being thrown backwards off its feet, with the flying type still in pursuit. Both of its fists tightened, preparing for the command that was sure to come.

 

"Primeape, Assurance, now!" Both of its arms were brought over its head, fists linking as its attacker came closer by the second. A feral shriek cut through the air, both fists being smashed brutally into Pidgeot's head. The flying type was rattled, crashing before skidding across the dirt. Ash's jaw dropped, charcoal eyes trembling at the sight of his ally being completely subdued.

 

"What the heck was that!?"

 

A smirk spread across Randy's bearded mug, muscular arms crossed over his chest. "That was Assurance! A dark type move that's meant to be used as a counter-attack! When it's used after Primeape's received damage, it comes down on you with twice the power! Perfectly suited for a seasoned fighter like itself. If you plan to defeat us, you're going to have to be more thorough than that."

 

"Then we will be! Pidgeot, use Quick Attack to get outta there!" Ash threw a hand towards the sky, and Pidgeot followed, shooting off in a trail of silver light. _'Primeape fights a lot better when we're close up... We can't give it the chance to land a hit like that again!'_ Ash watched with satisfaction as Pidgeot escaped, his mind racing to try to concoct a strategy that could bring the fighting type down. His thought process was cut short, however, by a booming shout from his opponent.

 

"Use Rock Slide!"

 

Once again, a barrage of rocks was thrown towards the escaping flying type, intent on knocking her out of the sky. "Keep using Quick Attack to dodge it!" Already in her stride, the avian didn't waste a moment in weaving between boulder after boulder, several times coming within inches of being scraped by the careening projectiles. But years of flight and experience had benefitted her well, and it hadn't taken a single hit.

 

"Primeape's gotta be a bit tired out, now... Now's our chance! Pidgeot, Hyper Beam! Now!" The flying type's beak parted, many particles of light gathering into a sphere the color of the sun. Soon after, a brilliant beam of energy was launched, cutting through the air at incredible speeds before crashing into Primeape. The battlefield was covered in smoke, forcing Ash to cover his mouth to keep any stray ashes away from his mouth. The debris soon cleared, revealing Pidgeot flying above, who was still catching her breath from the overwhelming blast.

 

"That oughta do it!" Ash spoke to himself aloud, satisfied with the success of his counter attack. His eyes turned to their opponent, though, who was lying in a heap in the bottom of a small crater. Small twitches indicated its consciousness, but it looked to be unable to move. "Awesome job, Pidgeot! You really held your own out there!" Ash shouted in praise to the bird above, who was currently recovering from the draining attack it had dished out.

 

"Use Rock Slide!" A sobering shout boomed through the air, followed by Primeape pushing itself to its feet. Another huff of hot air left its flat, pig-like nose, fierce eyes centered on its formidable opponent. Despite Ash's hopes and suspicions, it wasn't down for the count just yet. For all he knew, it may have been faking its pain all along. Black irises trembled, teeth grit in frustration.

 

"Pidgeot, you gotta get back in there! Finish it off with Sky Attack!" The avian didn't waste a second, spreading both of her beige wings outward, once more gathering light into the core of her being.

 

Another angry screech from Primeape echoed through the air, followed by a flurry of boulders being thrown towards their flying target once more.

 

"Man, this guy really likes using rocks, doesn't he?" Ash muttered, briefly pausing on that thought before recalling the urgency of the moment. "Pidgeot, now!" He'd nearly been too late, watching on as Pidgeot just barely ducked under an incoming rock. She shot forward, ablaze with the same brilliant light. She ducked and barreled past multiple stones, coming closer and closer to homing in on her opponent. Eyes comparable to those of a hawk centered in on the Pig Monkey pokemon, intent on pursuing it with laser-like focus.

 

This would be her downfall, as a boulder came flying seemingly out of nowhere, crashing directly into Pidgeot just under its beak - her functional blind spot. Ash could only watch in horror as his Pokemon had its focus knocked right out of her, finally being pummeled by several more boulders. The devastating blows took their toll, leaving an unconscious Pidgeot to fall limp to the ground.

 

With frustration etched into his features, Ash held out a Pokeball, calling back the knocked out Pokemon in flash of light. "You put out an awesome fight out there, Pidgeot... Good job!"

His gaze then turned to Randy, hardened hues not faltering in the face of his overwhelming opponent. Despite the disadvantage he was at, he continued to express defiance.

"That Rock Slide's a pretty nasty move! I could probably use somethin' like that." He momentarily turned his gaze to Sceptile, who seemed to be watching the battle intently. Maybe, just maybe they were sharing the same train of thought right now. "...But, I have one Pokemon who Rock Slide won't be able to beat! Gible, it's your turn!"

 

The short, stout dragon type waddled his way onto the field, wearing the same vacant expression he always had. The man opposite of Ash bore an amused smile, arms still folded over his chest.

 

"A ground type! Once again, a wise move, Ash. But do you think your Gible has what it takes to withstand our fists of fury?"

 

"I know Gible does, and we'll show you! Gible, use Rock Smash!" Ash punched through the air as he called for the move, sharing heated enthusiasm with his Pokemon, every bit as excited as either of the two combatants. Gible followed his lead, leaping forward towards Primeape with a glowing fist. His stubby arm was thrown forward, aiming to land the first blow of the round.

 

Randy and Primeape, however, had other plans. "Big mistake! Primeape, let's show them how dangerous we really are up close! Use Close Combat!" The older male roared, throwing a fist forward with great force, much like Ash had done. Primeape immediately sidestepped the blow, pulling back his own fist before throwing the first punch.

 

A coy smile ran across Ash's lips, a giddy feeling of success growing in his chest. "Just what I was banking on! Gible, bite down on that punch, now!" He'd invested his hopes in an all-too-familiar tactic with the Land Shark Pokemon, who opened his mouth at the last moment, catching the fist between his powerful jaws, much to Randy's dismay.

 

The Blackbelt grit his teeth, both brows raised in bewilderment. What sort of tactic was that!?

 

"Now! Draco Meteor!" A grin had broke out on Ash's face as he shouted, excitement positively shining off his features. Sharp teeth sunk into Primepe's fist, hoisting its entire body above Gible himself. His jaws made a forklift seem delicate. A brilliant orange glow formed in the center of his body, quickly growing into a light that shone brilliantly out of the corners of his mouth.

 

Before Primeape could even think to act, an orange sphere of energy launched it into the sky, carrying it high above before the orb hit a high point. The launch was followed by an earth-rattling explosion, raining down a multitude of energy blasts onto the battlefield that fell like meteors. Primeape came crashing down last, singed rather harshly and completely unconscious.

 

"...Not what I was expecting. That's quite the powerful grip your Gible has, Ash! You caught me off-guard. And I'm guessing you planned that counter all along, didn't you?" His coy smile was mirrored by Ash - the returned gesture affirming Randy's suspicions. A gleam of mischief went off in Ash's eyes.

 

"You bet! We're just full of surprises!"

 

"I can see that. Well... You're not the only ones! Hitmontop, let's show them!" The martial artist drew his arm back, winding up before lobbing the Pokeball towards the fray. It burst open, revealing a blue and beige Pokemon that stood atop its head, balancing on a spike atop its skull. "Once again, Ash, you can have the first move!"

 

"That's fine with us! Gible, use Rock Smash!" Ash threw an open palm forward, and Gible didn't hesitate in leaping towards his opponent. Radiant light surrounded his arm once more, energy gathering before being applied in a punishing blow to Hitmontop. The fighting type was sent spinning across the battlefield, tracking oblong paths in the dirt as its speed picked up from the momentum of Gible's attack. The attack had been seemingly ineffective, drawing a gasp from Ash.

 

"Now, Hitmontop, keep on going and use Rapid Spin!"

 

Arms and legs quickly became nothing but a blur, swinging back towards Gible nearly faster than the eye could see. The Sand Shark was knocked into the air before his trainer could say a word, leaving Ash stunned, to say the last.

 

"Man, that's fast!" Ash uttered aloud, his mouth hanging open in sheer surprise. If he lost his focus again, though, it could cost his partner dearly. "Gible, burrow underground for a Dig attack!" The small Pokemon immediately dived towards the ground headfirst, rapidly paddling his arms in a motion that allowed him to burrow under the dirt.

 

"Hitmontop, you use Dig, too!"

 

"What!?" Ash shouted out, watching as the spinning top began to accelerate, acting as a drill that plowed straight into the ground below. The boy stared on through gritted teeth, for once being on the receiving end of a surprise strategy. While he had been losing this match, up until now it seemed to be through a delivery of skill and brute force, rather than unusual counter-attacks like his own. This was beginning to seem more uncertain than before... But, that was no reason to give up. "Gible, bite down on it as soon as you can!"

 

The two combatants continued to tunnel underground, leaving the entire bout in their hands as their trainers could only watch on from above the terrain. The suspense left Ash unusually tense, his stance widened and fists closed tight. If he wanted to get the jump on this guy in any way, he'd have to use everything he'd learned up until this point. Hoenn's Drake of the Elite Four had taught him to clear his mind during battle and focus only on the match at hand. He would have to pay extra attention to catch on to whatever transpired now. A stressed sigh left Ash's lungs, both eyes closing as he attempted to regain s sense of calm.

 

Underground, Gible was chewing through layer after layer of dirt, burrowing rapidly through the soil towards where Hitmontop had been. Not before long, the dirt around him began to tremble. A sound akin to a drill seemed to be getting ever closer, the soil before him sounding more and more shallow. A spinning top then burst through the dirt, heading straight for the dragon type with frightening speed! Gible opened his mouth wide on cue, waiting until just the right moment to clamp down on the fighting type, chomping down on the spike on its head with razor-sharp fangs. This was its opportunity to stop Hitmontop dead in its tracks... Or, so Gible thought.

 

Still trapped by Gible, Hitmontop began to spin and accelerate, throwing its poor opponent for a loop as he was spun around endlessly, slammed against one wall of dirt after another. The spinning top turned up towards the surface, continuing to drill upward without missing a beat.

Up above, the two Pokemon soon burst through the ground, only to reveal Gible latched onto Hitmontop's horn, spinning about in a frenzy as he held on for dear life.

 

"Okay, maybe that wasn't such a good idea... Gible, let go! Get outta there!" While Ash desperately called for his Pokemon to escape, Randy made a similar command.

 

"Throw Gible way up high, Hitmontop!"

 

The two Pokemon executed their commands simultaneously, with Gible freeing his teeth from his foe, and Hitmontop bucking its head into the air. Gible was sent flying above as a result, leaving the fighting type just above ground in the burrow below. Tiny stubby arms flailed, making a very futile attempt by Gible to regain his bearings. Watching from below, Ash threw his fist into the air as he shouted for another move.

 

"Gible, fire right back down with Dragon Pulse!"

 

The stout dragon's mouth parted wide once more, becoming the bearer for a bright, potent teal sphere of energy that charged in mere moments in the creature's infamous maw.

 

"Giii... BLE!" A high-pitched cry sounded as the blast was sent plummeting towards the Earth, closing in on a still-grounded Hitmontop, still hanging just out of the hole it had dug up. Alas, it was too late, and the Dragon Pulse attack struck with devastating impact. Gible landed on his hind legs, standing sure as ever waiting for the smoke to clear.

 

"That oughta do some damage!" Ash celebrated aloud, confident as ever as he waited to see the result. The sight he was greeted with, however, wasn't quite what he'd hoped for. Hitmontop had emerged from the small burrow, returning to its usual headstand stance. Pardon the occasional small scratch, it seemed to be totally unharmed. "Man, you've gotta be kidding me."

 

"Sorry, Ash, but it'll take a lot more than an attack like that to take down Hitmontop! Now, strike back with Triple Kick!" The fighting type didn't waste any time in hopping onto solid ground, winding up before breaking into a spin that made the one from before look docile. Gible did his best to jump out of range, but he was met with three solid kicks, two from each of its legs and a final blow dealt from its spiked tail. The final strike sent him reeling, flying towards the solid rock cliff beside the battlefield.

 

"Gible! Look out!!" Ash shouted in warning, leaning forward heavily as if he wanted to aid the soaring Pokemon. He looked like he was going to hit the solid surface, hard. The trainer grit his teeth, bracing for impact... Only to find himself staring in disbelief. "...Huh?"

 

Rather than rolling over in pain, Gible had landed just fine - just in the way he would want to, in fact. His eager jaws had latched around a large rock that stuck out from the cliffside. Gible chewed on the stone with enthusiasm, seeming to have completely forgotten about the battle. Ash slapped his hand against his forehead, letting out a groan of embarrassment "Oh, Gible... Do ya have to do this _now_?" Just as the complaint passed through his lips, however, an idea struck Ash. "...Gible! I want you to put those jaws to work and take that rock with, you, alright! Go right for Hitmontop and just trust me!"

 

The dragon complied at once, chomping down on the stone to dislodge the majority of it from the wall. Short, but powerful legs launched him towards Hitmontop, rock still held between his jaws. Randy could only watch with interest, his mind attempting to contemplate just what Ash had in mind here. What difference was a single stone going to make against a fighting type?

"Now, spit it out at Hitmontop!" Ash called out the next phase of his maneuver, and his Pokemon quickly complied. Utilizing his powerful mouth, Gible spit the rock towards his opponent with great force, turning the stone into a projectile.

 

"You should know better than to use a rock against a pokemon like Hitmontop, Ash! Hitmontop, use Triple Kick to crush it to bits!" The fighting type winded up, readying itself to decimate the stone, and hopefully land a hit on Gible as well. But, Ash had other plans in mind.

 

"Now, use Rock Smash!" Ash declared, dark hues glimmering with excitement. The command drew surprised expressions from Randy and Hitmontop alike. Gible didn't waste a moment. His small arm began to glow, raising above his head before crashing down upon the large stone, which had come within mere inches of the defending fighting type. The rock was crushed into bits, showering Hitmontop in dust and debris. It recoiled out of shock, stopping its spinning completely.

 

"Now's your chance! Bite down on Hitmontop's head!" Being a ground type, Gible was hardly hindered by the debris and he chomped down on the spike atop the fighting type's skull once more. "Now, use..."

 

"Not so fast!" Randy shouted, interrupting Ash's command. "We're not going to allow you to use that Draco Meteor trick again! Hitmontop, use Rapid Spin to shake it off!" As the Spinning Top Pokemon prepared itself to counter, Ash called out the remainder of his command.

 

"...Dragon Pulse!" Compared to Draco Meteor, it had much shorter charge time, which allowed Gible to quickly launch the teal sphere of energy from his jaws. The blast enveloped Hitmontop, sending it soaring across the battlefield along with it, with dust and smoke thrown up in its wake.

 

"Hitmontop, use Bide!" Upon hearing the command, the fighting type began to glow, skidding across the ground before finally coming to a halt. It winced from the blow, but was able to shake off the damage nonetheless. The development caused Ash to grit his teeth, black irises trembling as he began to understand the meaning of this development.

 

"Bide... This is no good! If we don't wrap it up now, we're done for!"

 

Punching the air once more, Ash cried out his next command. "Gible, finish it with Rock Smash, now!" The dragon type vaulted forward once more, striking the Spinning Top with remarkable vigor. Hitmontop continued to careen back, turning into another spin. Clearly, that wasn't enough to finish it off. Ash grit his teeth in frustration, sweat beginning to drip down his brow. _'Oh man... We're in trouble! Bide's gonna go off any second now!'_ Ash's patience was slipping away, the boy being fully aware that his next move would decide the battle.

 

"Gible, use Draco Meteor!" The trainer from Pallet threw caution to the wind, throwing an open hand to the sky as he called for what may very well be his last attack. The stout Pokemon turned his body upwards, focusing all of his draconian energy into a single point at his core. The center of his body began to glow brilliantly, slowly rising before firing out of his mouth in the form of a large energy sphere. The attack soared high into the skies, hovering just as it had before bursting. A multitude of smaller orange blasts rained down on the battlefield, several of them homing in on Hitmontop.

 

Ash leaned forward, black hues entirely focused on their opponent. This was it... This had to work! What he saw, though, gave him a feeling of despair in the pit of his stomach. Hitmontop had begun to glow just as he was pummeled with the blasts. Smoke surrounded the fighting type, only to be blown away into mere wisps as a brilliant red blast of energy fired out of the debris, homing in on Gible with such speed and ferocity that no one could think to react. The dragon could only stare blankly like a Stantler in headlights, hit head-on by the counter-attack.

 

"Gible!" Ash shouted in worry, watching as the small Pokemon was sent flying, careening towards Ash before being caught in his arms. Soon, the smoke began to settle, allowing both combatants to observe the damage. Hitmontop was somewhat scorched, but still steadily standing. Gible, on the other hand... His eyes had turned to swirls, and he’d lost consciousness. "Oh man..." The teen whined, managing a smile as he pulled out the creature's Pokeball. "You put up a great fight, Gible. Thanks a lot!" Red light enveloped the creature after Ash's usual praise, returning him to his capsule.

 

Ash's eyes turned upward towards Randy, admiration shining in his eyes. He maintained his smile; one with a hint of sadness. But, behind his disappointment was an overwhelming feeling of exhilaration. His limits has been tested, just the way he liked it. "I guess I lost... You guys were incredible! Thanks for the awesome battle, Randy! You, too, Hitmontop."

 

Randy returned his victorious pokemon to its sphere, then making his way over to Ash. "For someone so young, you put up a hell of a fight. It'd be my honor to battle again someday!"

 

Ash beamed up at the rugged veteran, wearing a smile that only Ash Ketchum could wear after such a scathing defeat. "It was my honor to battle you! I hope we get to battle again someday, too!"

 

The blackbelt wore a warm smile, nodding before turning towards the campsite. "That would be fantastic. But, I'm out on my lonesome with purpose. So, I'm going to head out now. Maybe one day you'll come across me again." With that, the elder man grabbed his bag, turning to head deeper into treacherous jaws of the cave.

 

The adrenaline of battle was still coursing through his veins. A smile was still plastered on his face that wouldn't leave. It was enough to make him question his own thought process, but that notion quickly fled. "I won't lose next time." Ash whispered under his breath, looking to the rodent that sat atop his shoulder. "Let's go to the Pokemon Center, buddy!"

 

Pikachu offered his trainer a sympathetic smile, reaching to gently pat his marked cheek. "Pika!"

 

The two made a speedy departure to the small hospital sitting at the foot of the caverns, leaving the three defeated Pokemon with Nurse Joy to recuperate.

 

"Thanks, Nurse Joy!" Ash bowed his head slightly in respect, flashing the pink-haired woman a smile before turning on his heel to stroll outside. The scent of pine and fresh air greeted him, once again welcoming him to the outdoors. Nature wasn't alone, however, as his remaining Pokemon had stood outside waiting for their trainer. Charizard and Sceptile had been waiting patiently, and Pikachu was already accompanying him. "Wasn't that an awesome battle, guys?"

 

He was met with a silent nod from Charizard and Sceptile and a hearty cheer from Pikachu. "Even if you weren't in it, I'm sure you guys learned something from it!" His gaze drifted over to Sceptile, who met it with certainty. He could see it in his eyes. There was no doubt Sceptile had been paying close attention - even moreso than Charizard or Pikachu.

 

"I think I figured out how you could use Rock Slide." Sceptile nodded, all but confirming he was on the same page as his trainer. Before the matter could be discussed any further, a series of rings could be heard from the Pokemon Center.

 

"Ash Ketchum, your Pokemon are finished healing! Please come inside to retrieve them." Nurse Joy's voice blared over an intercom, prompting a smile from the trainer.

 

"Alright, guys. Let's go pick our friends up! We should probably congratulate 'em for a job well done, too!"

 

Ash spent the remainder of the day playing with his Pokemon, allowing them to recharge and regain their morale after a hard day's match. The tightly-knit group finally succumbed to sleep, hearts full of happiness and faces recovering from the laughter. They dreamed pleasant dreams of future battles and future victories.

 

Soon after, morning arrived once more, the warm arm of the sun nudging the sleepy teen out of his slumber. After a few failed attempts at evading the its lure through tossing and turning, Ash gave in, he and Pikachu awakening to begin the new day. Breakfast came and went, and after waving off Nurse Joy, Ash departed to a grassy slope atop the first tier of the mountain, which was sparsely detailed with the occasional patch of grass, even a spring flowers gracing its presence.

 

"This'll make a great place to train," he mused aloud, reaching to gently adjust the end of his red cap. "...And the weather's perfect!" A soft breeze caressed the field, blades of grass and flower petals dancing as the metallic capsule was gripped, being tossed into the sky. A flash of light pooled together in the form of Sceptile, the lime-colored Pokemon landing gracefully on his hind legs.

 

"Alright, Sceptile, time for us to work on Rock Slide!" Sceptile's posture shifted, a battle-worthy stance assumed by the grass type. "Now, if you think back to how Primape and Poliwrath pulled it off... They only controlled the rocks when the attack started. After that, they'd fall freely and the rest'd work on its own. So I think we'll give that a shot!"

 

"Tile!" The Forest Pokemon chanted in agreement. Many attempts ended in failure, bearing very little fruit. The duo kept at it, though, never being ones to give up. The sun soon reached its height in the clear blue sky, and small steps were being made. Pebbles were beginning to move, in a similar process by which leaves were supernaturally manipulated by his inherent abilities. Trainer and pokemon alike toiled, working tirelessly through the day to reach the proverbial pot of gold.

 

By the time the sun began to plan its nightly slumber, Sceptile had made wonderful progress, willingly tossing rocks around. The work was a bit sloppy, but more than enough to leave his trainer with a beaming, un-erasable grin. "Hey, looks like you finally pulled it off! Awesome job, Sceptile. Now, what do ya say we get something to eat? All this hard work's got me starving!"

 

He was met with a curt nod from Sceptile, whose bravado was quickly cut short by a rather loud growl from his stomach. Face reddening, the stoic pokemon quickly avoided eye contact.

 

A chuckle left Ash as he reached for his remaining four pokeballs. "I'll take that as a yes. Alright everyone, c'mon out!" The spheres were all tossed up in tandem, releasing the remainder of Ash's team. "Hey guys, Sceptile here managed to learn a new move!" He was met with cheers and cries of congratulations from Pikachu, Pidgeot, Gible, and Lapras. The one pokemon that caught his leery gaze, however, was Charizard. Rather than shouting his approval, a brief look of approval was cast. Hazel eyes locked with teal, holding momentarily in a gaze that needed no words. He would expect a greater challenge next time around.

 

"Okay, so what do you all say we go in for dinner!" Ash rallied the team, only to nearly get trampled in the process. A third day had passed under the unpredictable skies of Kanto and Johto, lending Ash and his Pokemon a tad more experience, a new technique, and an inch of humility. While the fruits had been great, however, today was only just the beginning.

 


	7. Fight or Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a humbling battle, Ash and his team jump headfirst into taking their training regiment seriously. Each member of his roster gets individual focus with the budding pride of Pallet, and begin their climb to new heights! But, the formidable wild pokemon of the mountain might not be their only peril...

Mount Silver’s lower steppes were speckled with small ponds and crisscrossed by lively streams. In one of these refreshing baths currently swam Lapras, the babble of a low series of waterfalls providing a background to the water type’s melodic cries.

Ash, for his part, sat atop the Transport pokemon’s back, a bit dusty from earlier battles but pleased to see the ice type so in his element. “You sure are having a great time in there, huh? If I wasn’t afraid of turning into an Ash-cicle, I’d wanna join in!” he gleefully pointed out to Pikachu.

The previously placid waters were abruptly breached by the snarling maw of a Gyarados, who was greeted with a screaming teenager and his squealing mouse alike. Dilated eyes stared into the angry face of the Atrocious pokemon, whom snapped blindly at where Lapras lay, only to chomp down on thin air. Lapras’ swiftness in water, along with the waves accompanying Gyarados’s surfacing, helped him avoid a nasty bite.

“That’s just our luck,” Ash lamented, clinging to one of the spikes atop Lapras’ shell. “I thought we’d be taking it easy… But, we really don’t have a choice, here! You ready to show it what we’ve got, Lapras?”

Lapras let out a cry of affirmation, turning towards Gyarados. And, not a moment too soon, as he spotted a brilliant Hyper Beam already coming their way. The water type promptly ducked his head, just barely avoiding the stream of destructive energy that exploded far off behind it.

Gawking at the expanding smoke beyond the battle, Ash swallowed a lingering breath before turning his attention back toward Gyarados. “It won’t be able to move right now, Lapras! Hit it with an Ice beam!”

Lapras did just as told, parting his mouth to fire a freezing beam of energy towards the large sea serpent. The bitter cold caused the defenseless Gyarados to roar out in pain before diving back under the surface.

“Good one, Lapras! That look like it hurt. But, still… We’ve gotta be careful. It could be anywhere, now that it’s hiding out underwater!” Ash’s eyes darted left and right across the cavern, looking for any sign of disturbance.

Not before long, the long tail of the Atrocious pokemon surfaced, surrounding itself in a water cyclone that sent ripples and waves through the small lake within the mountain. The limb was swift to slam into Lapras’ side, earning a cry from the pokemon as he bounced across the water.

Ash clung to the shell below him for dear life, with Pikachu tucked under his arm. “I think that was Aqua Tail! Man… If we take more hits like that, we’ll be in serious trouble.” Soon, Lapras had regained its composure atop the water, and Gyarados had once more exposed itself above the surface.

“We can’t let it keep attacking like that! Try to keep hitting it with Ice Beam!”

Lapras did just as told, parting his maw to fire one Ice Beam after another, each barely missing their target each time Gyarados writhed and dove out of range. Even so, the chilly attacks had left their mark. Part of the water had frozen over thanks to each of the Ice Beams, forcing Gyarados to burst through a sheet of ice. Clearly, it wasn’t very fond of waters that were quite that cold.

“Great, now what…?” Ash’s teeth gnashed together, black orbs following the creature’s frightening head out of the water. When his gaze darted back to the ice, a lightbulb went off in the trainer’s head. “I’ve got it! Lapras, use Water Pulse on the ice near Gyarados! Full power!”

Lapras let out another cry, making it clear that his words were acknowledged as a glowing sphere of water formed in front of his mouth. The orb was fired at the snow-white sheet, causing a booming explosion that sent sharp shards and chunks of ice flying every which way. The assault’s main victim was Gyarados, who let out a cry as it was pelted with the combination attack.

Sadly, it seemed this just wasn’t enough. After bearing the assault, the Atrocious pokemon closed in, eyes dead set on Lapras, Ash, and Pikachu. An ear-splitting roar heralded their fate. It was done playing games.

“If this keeps on, we’re done for…! Pikachu! Thunderbolt!”

Feeling every bit as desperate as his companions, Pikachu crouched before unleashing a brilliant bolt of electricity towards Gyarados. “Pika… chuuu!!!” The mouse’s wrath was unleashed upon the serpent, causing it to recoil quite a bit. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been cautious enough to leave Lapras’ back.

“Hey, Pikachu… Could ya be a little more careful next time?” Ash struggled to suggest, laying charred on Lapras’ back. The Transport pokemon let out a whine of agreement, golden sparks still dancing along his form.

“Pikachu…” The mouse apologized, rubbing the back of his head. Spotting that Gyarados was still conscious and ready to strike, he opted to leap into the air, preparing another Thunderbolt. “Pika…!”

This time, he wasn’t so lucky. Gyarados’ tail swung towards the mouse, coupled with a violent cyclone that slammed brutally into the tiny pokemon’s body. Pikachu was sent reeling, flying across the body of water before landing on the land near the mouth to the cave. Swirls in his eyes indicated defeat.

“Pikachu!” Ash shouted in worry, watching his best friend land out of bounds. He hardly had time to worry, though, turning to spot Gyarados nearing himself and Lapras. Heart pounding in his chest, he clung to Lapras’ shell. “Uh, Lapras…? I think we’re in trouble here!”

A glowing golden orb forming in Gyarados’ maw confirmed Ash’s fears. A Hyper Beam was only seconds away from firing, which meant Ash and Lapras were seconds away from living up to the former’s name.

Lapras let out a whine of defiance, eyes shut tight. This couldn’t be it. They couldn’t become fish food after all they’d worked for! Her horn began to glow, circled by residual sparks from Pikachu’s earlier attack. Static electricity began to course through the spike, culminating before launching towards Gyarados in a golden flash of light.

Countless volts of electricity coursed through the water/flying hybrid, drawing a roar of pain that replaced a charging Hyper Beam. Sizzling and weary from the super-effective attack, it stared daggers at Lapras.

“Hey, awesome! Looks like you learned Thunderbolt, Lapras! Awesome job.” Ash congratulated, growing cocky with their momentary triumph. “Man, I didn’t even know you could learn electric attacks.”

Gyarados, however, clearly felt different. Its tail dipped beneath the water, rushing forward to kick up a current under the Transport pokemon. A twister shot out from below the water, carrying Ash and Lapras high into the air.

“Wah! Ah, man…! We’re in serious trouble, Lapras!” Ash clung to the pokemon, arms holding to his neck for dear life. Being tossed about was no fun for Ash, and being scraped by the rough winds was no more enjoyable for the pokemon. Luckily enough, the trainer had an idea by then, “Lapras! Brace yourself, and use Surf to launch yourself off of Gyarados’s attack!”

Willing to try anything at this point, Lapras let out a melodic cry. Gushing water formed under his body, resulting in a wave that launched him off the cyclone. Better yet, they were sent flying towards Gyarados.

“Now, use Body Slam!”

Lapras took advantage of its momentum, slamming his heavy body into Gyarados’s head.

The trainer atop its back braced himself, feeling the wind knocked out of him when they each hit the water. At this point, he could have sworn that his stomach turned upside down. “Ah, man… That was a close one!” Sitting up atop the hill, he turned to find that the Atrocious pokemon had fallen unconscious.

“We really beat ‘im… Thanks a lot, Lapras! I owe ya one!”

Lapras let out a cry of approval. Not before long, they’d made their way to shore, where Ash had stopped off to rummage through his backpack. Several Super Potions were foraged, administered to Pikachu and Lapras alike. The latter was back to full health, and Pikachu had come back to consciousness.

“It’s great to see you guys doing well… I wouldn’t’ve made it out of there without both of you. And, man, Pikachu, you really missed it! I think Lapras took a page outta your book and learned Thunderbolt! It really saved the day!”

“Pika-Pika!” Visibly stunned, the mouse was quick to congratulate his larger friend. Even if they’d cut things a little close, everyone came out of it just a little bit stronger! All’s well that ends well, after all.

* * *

 

Stepping high, Ash weaved his way among the jagged rocks. They were far off the trail now, but a wild inclination had overcome Gible, and Ash figured it would be easier to let the dragon complete his mysterious task rather than fighting it the whole while. Besides, he was only a little resentful of the way Pikachu so skillfully hopped from rock to rock and the way Gible burrowed among them.

“Must be nice,” he pouted. The tops of the stones were too pointed and narrow for a human to walk on them, much less have a hope of hopping across without face planting. The rocks were also too close together to make for good walking space. “Gible, could you hurry up?! What are we even out here for?!” The whole area had a pleasant, earth aroma, but surely Gible wasn’t out here just to smell the rose quartzes!

“... Hm, are there any of those out here?” the trainer asked, distracted. He looked at one of the nearby boulders, curious. He didn’t know much about rocks and jewels, but he knew quartzes were pretty. Maybe it’d make a neat present to send back to Mom! He snickered, half tempted to send some to Brock, too, with a note that it’d help with the ladies.

His mind was brought back to the situation at hand when a flash of blue and yellow caught his peripheral vision.

“Pika!”

Ash turned, watching Pikachu chide Gible. The dragon had a dusty rock as big as he was lifted. On the opposite side of the rock, clearly distressed and pissed off, was a Larvitar.

“Vitar larvi larvi larvi!” the miniscule ground type chattered, glaring down at Gible who stared obliviously on. Or, at least, Ash had thought it was oblivious. Judging by the way it very suddenly started to shake its head, Gible definitely knew someone else was trying to claim his rock and wasn’t prepared to give it up at all.

“What are they even fighting over?! A rock?!”

When a voice answered, Ash almost fell down, circling to seek out the speaker. After a moment, he realized it was just his Pokedex. Fishing it out, he listened to the rest of its explanation. “--bentonite clay. This mineral is capable of absorbing water and has been valued by humans who partake in pica. However, some ground and rock types consume it in an attempt to build up tolerances to water type moves.”

Pleasantly surprised by this knowledge, Ash had to wonder how Gible knew the mineral was out here. Did it have a distinct smell to ground types? Regardless, it seemed that they would have to battle over it. “Alright, Gible, let’s get ready to--Gah!” The trainer threw his hands over his ears as Larvitar Screeched. Pikachu followed suit, but Gible’s stubby arms were unable to do much. “Man, that’ thing’s shrill! Gible, use Rock Smash!”

Dropping the bentonite stone hastily, Gible hopped on top of the rock and then slammed his hands into Larvitar’s head, earning a brief cry of pain from the mountain dwelling pokemon.

In short order, though, it sniffed before glaring at Gible again. Its mouth opened wide, a dazzling white sphere forming before it shot out, blasting Gible in the face and sending it flying backwards.

“Whoa!” Ash blinked, unable to believe what he’d just seen. “Was that… Hyper Beam?!” No way, only fully evolved pokemon knew that move, right?! “This just got serious. Gible!”

Shakily standing to his feet but expression portraying no pain, the ground type barked back at Ash.

“Listen, you’ve got to use Draco Meteor while it’s recovering!”

“Gib!” Staring at the sky and opening his maw wide, the little dragon type soon summoned down a rain of draconic energy to pummel the opposing pokemon.

Larvitar took each blow, unable to move due to the energy used up in Hyper Beam. However, as soon as its strength was renewed, a nasty snarl left its muzzle. It rushed towards Gible on all four limbs, glowing with dark energy. When its Payback attack landed, Gible faltered, another nasty blow landed.

The trainer’s brows furrowed and turned his cap around. Tiny as they both were, this battle was getting rough. “Gible! Use dig!” If Larvitar couldn’t get to him, that’d help out a lot.

A hearty snort was heard from their opponent before it slammed its foot into the ground. Pikachu jumped into Ash’s arms, in no mood to be hit by the Earthquake attack Larvitar just set off. Ash was jostled by the moving stones, some sinking and disappearing into the earth and others jutting up suddenly. “Youch!” he called, slammed sideways by the sudden splitting of a boulder. He was only momentarily aware of the beautifully gleaming pale stones within the rock.

“... Gible!” That Earthquake had to have done a number on him! He’d been mid-dig when it went off!

Soon, the little dragon surfaced, snagging Larvitar’s foot and shaking the other pokemon quickly before releasing it to slam into a freshly surfaced stone. All the same, it panted. Gible was nearing his breaking point, as was Larvitar.

“All of this for a dirt sandwich,” Ash lamented.

“Pika,” the electric type agreed.

Suddenly, Gible shook, growling his own name at Larvitar. The wild pokemon looked disinterested, apparently unbelieving of whatever the other said. However, a glow began to overtake Gible. It spread over his whole body, soon making it hard to even look at him.

Ash couldn’t help but grin. “He’s evolving!”

True enough, when the light faded, a bigger, more ferocious looking pokemon remained where Gible had once been. Gabite was better equipped to obtain the bentonite. “Gabite!”

Fist out, Ash grinned. His Pokedex went off as he called out, “Rock Smash!”

“Dual Chop learned.”

Gabite looked towards Ash, confused.

“Oh… I guess Dual Chop replaced Rock Smash. Alright, let’s use Dragon Pulse, then!”

Larvitar had no interest in being hit by that attack. Another Hyper Beam left its mouth. The two attacks met, white and blue wavering in the air. Soon, the two energy attacks unstabilized and exploded. The roar drowned out all other noise.

When Ash was able to orient himself again, he found himself painfully sprawled on top of the rock that had been split, the exposed jewels digging uncomfortably into his back. Pikachu was already alert, ears flicking and eyes set towards the battlefield. The trainer sat up, looking out to the field. Larvitar laid motionless on the ground, not knocked out, but wiped from the Hyper Beam. Gabite, on the other hand, was stirring, still raring to go.

“Gabite! Finish it with Dual Chop!”

Two quick slashes with his energized arms finished the battle. Larvitar rested uneasily.

Ash walked over, working out kinks in his back as Pikachu continued to shake his fur, working out debris. “Great job!” he praised, patting Gabite’s back. The pokemon paid him little mind, though, seeking out his prize and returning with it in short order. As the dragon ferociously tore into the mineral clay, Ash spoke up. “Hey, Gabite.” He looked up. “Give half to Larvitar.”

A snort told him exactly what Gabite thought of it.

“It found it first,” Ash chided.

Clicking its teeth, Gabite hesitated before using Dual Chop to split the rock. Giving the smaller portion to the still unconscious Larvitar, he greedily gobbled down the rest.

As he polished off the last of his portion of the bentonite, Larvitar looked at the surprise that awaited it. It was moved, squeaking as if to ask them if it was really its to keep. Upon getting a nod from Ash, the Larvitar followed suit and gorged itself on bentonite. Belly full, the little rock type let out a happy chirp to the trio before running off.

A nostalgic smile crossed Ash’s lips. “Hm… yeah, run on home, huh?” He wondered how that Larvitar he returned here all those years ago was doing. Did it have a family now? How big as it? Had it evolved? “Let’s head back.”  


* * *

 

  
Unbroken by canopy, the warmth of high noon shined down upon Ash and his team. A hard earned lunch weighed delightfully in their stomachs. For some, the lull of sleep was hard to resist. Ash didn’t even try; he and Pikachu were sprawled upon a sun baked rock, perfectly content and cozy sprawled out. Lapras, meanwhile, warmed himself on the sandy shores of a clear river, occasionally splashing himself with water when he felt dry. Gible was thankfully deep sleep. He twitched on occasion, chasing some elusive quartz in his dreams. Sceptile, on the other hand, remained vigilant, preening his tail every few moments as he soaked up the sun as grass types were wont to do.

Above flew Charizard and Pidgeot. Both felt better lightly working off their meal rather than waiting for it to slowly digest in sleep. As such, the avian drifted behind her draconic teammate, taking advantage of the way his latent heat could create an easily navigated updraft.

Pidgeot did wish she had Charizard’s natural ability to do this. While she was an incredibly strong flier, it was tiring to battle the wind if it wasn’t on her side. If she could manipulate breezes like this, even the longest of flights would be a piece of cake!

The fire type seemed to notice her jealousy and snickered. In turn, and quite naturally, the flying type took offense, clicking her beak rather harshly to pointedly ask just what it was that he thought was so funny. The exchanged turned to bickering as they flew around and around the small peak of the cave the group had just traversed.

So caught up in their argument and so lulled by lunch and the pleasantness of the day that they failed to notice some of the mountain was no longer joined to it, but levitating. The trap was already sprung by the time they realized what was going on. Someone’s Stealth Rock rained down upon them, triggered like a Feraligatr’s bite instinct by the lightest of touches from some unfortunate fool.

The smaller stones were swifter, cutting through the air like pins. Charizard bellowed. His roar cut through the air as he steeled his leathery wings, cutting at the larger rocks as they flew towards him. Likewise, Pidgeot chirped furiously, injured and confused. Her own Steel Wing made short work of the remaining stones from the surprise Stealth Rock.

Their assailant didn’t bother to hide itself any longer. Chuckling--or, what passed for chuckling for a sentient bell--the cocky looking Bronzong levitated forth from the sparse foliage on the slope.

Pidgeot hesitated, mind reeling as she recalled seeing no Bronzong before now, only Bronzor. Why? Was their area the unusual thing--or this particular pokemon?

Having no reservations like inquiring so much about the nature of their opponent, Charizard could only think of the bitter scent of metal upon the air and in his flaring nostrils. He belched flame, signifying to Pidgeot that he would quickly attend to this matter and giving Bronzong its one and only warning. Snarling, he jetted forward, leaving his flying companion behind.

Charizard snatched up Bronzong, flipping and rolling in flight to set up a Seismic Toss.

As he headed towards the ground with the guerrilla heavy weight, a curious sensation overcame him. He veered, unable to right himself. The ground was approaching too quickly. What were these lights?

In the distance, panic ran through Pidgeot. Twin spheres of light danced around Charizard, confusing him. The Seismic Toss--ruined thanks to Bronzong’s Confuse Ray--faltered. The duo crashed into the slope and she watched, unable to do much else at the moment. The steel stranger rose quickly, seemingly unscathed by the failed move. Charizard struggled to get his bearings, stuck on all four limbs and erratically turning his head. He spat fire but hit nothing, save frostbitten earth.

Crumbled debris from their impact scattered downhill. Pidgeot’s eyes followed their trail, taking everything in. With her hawkish eyes she saw Sceptile looking upon them, judging the situation--the sounds must have alerted him--before he ran off. She knew he was going to get Ash; otherwise, being the battler he was, he would have joined the fray.

For now, though, this battle was in Pidgeot’s claws. She would not fail. Though Charizard could never pass for a Pidgey and only a fool would mistake him for a Pidgeotto, she would protect her flock--her teammates, now.

As Bronzong used Confuse Ray again, she narrowly dodged by using Aerial Ace, all the while furiously seeking a solution to her current conundrum. She was perfectly capable of taking down any soft skinned opponent--she would wager she could even take down those with shells or scales! This, however, was foreign. She did not tangle with steel types regularly.

All the same, she was swift. So, she used a quick attack to avoid the Bronzong’s Heavy Slam by a wide margin. She clicked her beak, noting the formless manner in which it attacked. It seemed young and yet it already had an adult’s shape. She wondered what this would mean for the battle. Would her opponent be stronger than her?

She liked to think she was cleverer, though. She just needed time. For now, she settled for turning on the youngster, sending sparks across its blue metal shell with a Steel Wing. The effects were negligible, and as she flew a measure away for her own safety, she noted the use of Iron Defense.

Her physical moves would now be all but useless.

Thankfully, the cavalry arrived.

“Pidgeot!” Ash called.

This momentary distraction cost her. A Heavy Slam sent her spinning, brown form without direction. At the last moment, she righted herself, barely skirting the mountain with her tail feathers. She cawed, letting Ash know she was fine.

“Charizard,” he called after confirming the first battler was fine. He looked to Sceptile, who, aside from Pikachu, was the only pokemon he’d left out as they ran from their makeshift campsite. He couldn’t send Sceptile in against that thing and he wasn’t sure if Pikachu would be any good, either.

As if sensing Ash’s doubt, Charizard snored. He emitted a stream of fire as if to prove his point of being capable. And, behold, his aim had increased, for the Flamethrower was skyward bound!

Yet, it was sent towards his ally.

“Charizard, no!” Ash berated all too late. “Pidgeot, you’ve got to dodge!”

The flying type flapped herself higher, willing the fire to not burn her. Somehow, it didn’t. Her eyes widened, watching as the flames panned out, conflicted before dispersing into the breeze which was now warmer, akin to how it was when she and Charizard flew together. Unfortunately, there was no time for her to marvel over the newly unlocked move.

“Quick attack down!” Ash commanded. He listened to the Pokedex continued to rattle off about the new move as he carefully watched Pidgeot dodge yet another Heavy Metal from Bronzong. “Heat Wave,” he muttered. “That’s a fire type move…” Grabbing onto his cap’s brim to ready himself mentally for the turning point of the battle, Ash almost smirked. That was all she needed. Pidgeot was powerful and clever; given a single good tool, he knew she could take care of this new opponent. Now, they’d prove it. “Pidgeot!”

Her attention flicked down to him.

“You’ve got listen to me! Do what you just did! You used Heat Wave! It’s the only way you’ll beat this guy!”

Trusting in her trainer, Pidgeot copied her previous movements down to the same desperation and force of will she’d exhibited. Then, she felt it. It started off under her belly then spread out to the tips of her wings, churning the air around her like a dozen tiny twisters.  It felt magnificent! This must have been the power Charizard felt, aware of the conflicting cool air from the mountain meeting and fighting and failing against his fiery breezes. It ignited a second wind within her.

She let out a battle cry.

Swooping towards Bronzong, her talons locked onto what might pass for a handle atop the giant bell, her scorching gale crashing into it as she landed. It let out a thunderous chime, a melodious roar. As she released her opponent and flew to a safe distance, she felt proud.

“Alright! Great work!” Ash cheered. “Let’s circle around for another!”

Panic was clear upon Bronzong’s face. It stiffened, uselessly summoning another Stealth Rock.

As she came to her conclusions about the nature of the Pokemon she would shortly defeat, something like pity entered her heart. It had to be newly evolved, tricked by that rush of energy into believing itself invincible. Yet, if she knew nothing else thanks to a certain electric rodent friend of hers, it was that evolution was not everything.

Training, however, could be.

Her talons hooked onto the ornate details of the Bronzong’s shell. As her weight and the blisteringly hot winds her Heat Wave had summoned to surround and support her crashed into him, she hung on for a moment. Down, down, down, the steel type fell. Then, she let go, satisfied to let it crash into the earth hideously and tumble away upon seeing the swirls in its eyes.

She let out a final chirp, a warning of sorts and a particularly good one liner if anyone who spoke Pidgeot was around to hear it. Unfortunately, Charizard was the only one nearby and he was still working himself out. As the others began to try to navigate up the slope, the bird landed beside her recovering flight partner.

As Ash patted her plumage and praised her efforts whilst comforting the orange, fully evolved starter, Pidgeot cooed, boasting a bit and perhaps not so politely rubbing it in Charizard’s face that she could now master the skies like he did.

Charizard snorted. Birds and their need to prove aerial superiority.  
  


* * *

  
The boy’s laughter echoed through the empty air as he held on tightly to his fiery dragon. The orange pokemon glided, dipping and rising in turn to make the ride down to the Pokemon Center more fun. It wasn’t often he indulged in just a bit of silliness, but Ash was his friend. It was time they just had a laugh together.

Besides, he liked making Pikachu squeal at the way he showed superiority in the air. Speed and tricks were right up his alley and Pikachu was loving it.

But, naturally, on Mount Silver, that did not last for long.

Charizard was spinning, tree line and sky tossing over each other over and over again. The dragon felt an incredible ache along the side of his stomach. What in the world had hit him? What was that screaming?

… Ash!

Spreading his wings to keep the trio from crashing in the trees. Still, he touched down onto a hardy branch, all the while snarling and clacking his teeth at the distant Onix. The big behemoth had hit him out of nowhere! Where did it even come from?

“That Onix… it’s the one from the cave,” Ash muttered as he and Pikachu stepped off and onto the tree branch they hoped would be safe enough. “Use Steel Wing. That should scare it off.”

Charizard took off, wings gleaming silver. However, it was countered, the two moves sparking with friction and force. Charizard strained, strength waning.

Ash likewise gritted his teeth. “That’s Iron Tail! Charizard, hit it with Flamethrower to make it back off!”

The Onix did, writhing. After a moment, though, it was ready to attack. It did; Rock Tomb rained down upon Charizard, who dodged several rocks, but dozens of others hit him, battering him down and eventually grounding him. The fire type roared, spitting fire, as its assailant neared where it lay prone.

“Charizard!” Ash yelled. “C’mon, you’ve got to--” The boy’s eyes went wide as the dragon’s tail glowed blue and it span, sweeping away with rocks. Though still injured, his fury had been fully manifested. Between being frustrated with the tide of the battle and the need to protect his friends, Charizard had truly become ferocious.

“--has learned Dragon Tail.”

“Right,” Ash chattered back to Dexter, not bothering to take the Pokedex out of his backpack. “Try it on Onix!”

Charizard needn’t be told twice. The rock snake let out a screech of pain, backing off as it tried to sort out what move had just been used against it. It settled for Iron Tail, metallic end rapidly headed for Charizard.

However, Ash would give it not time to rest or return fire. “Seismic Toss! Don’t pick it up, just throw it!”

Catching the Onix’s tail and only skidding a bit from impact, the fire type smirked. Exerting all his strength, he lifted the tail and quickly lowered it, sending a rippling whipping effect down the snake all the way down to its head. The booming crack of rock against rock as its head rattled against the ground signaled the improvised Seismic Toss’s effect.

“Finish with a Dragon Tail!”

Letting out a mighty roar, Charizard took to the air, clearly laboring. He dived, tail glowing until contact was made. Debris shattered around the small crater created by the impact, but when the dust settled, Onix was unconscious.

Ash began shimmying down the tree. “Great job, Charizard! Way to go!” Running over, trainer and starter alike praised the exhausted fire type. “Here, let’s fix you up, huh?” Spraying the pokemon with a potion and giving him a Sitrus berry to ease the pain, Ash then put his hands on his hips. “Hm… It might be better if we walk down. You’re probably tired.”

Looking almost insulted, the fire type snorted. Ash was getting a ride down, whether he liked it or not now. The dragon’s pride was not to be trifled with.

“Alright, alright, we can ride if you’re okay!” Ash agreed, scratching the back of his head. Soon enough, the trio were flying down to the Pokemon Center again.  
  


* * *

  
Muted by the thickness of the pine needles resting above them, the trilling clang of metalized tail against hardened claw reached only Ash’s ears as he kept watch over the battle. The Iron Tail and Slash attacks canceled each other, causing Ursaring’s arm to sling back and Pikachu to nimbly twist to right himself before landing on the ground.

His eyes widened. “Pikachu, it’s going for Thrash, back off! Quick Attack!”

Needless to say, the fleet footed mouse very quickly dodged the enraged foot falls and slashes of the brown bear, both breathing quite heavily by now. Ursaring’s fur was a bit charred from taking a Thunderbolt head on earlier and Pikachu’s trust wavered towards the big pokemon, recalling the nasty Feint Attack he’d taken at the creature’s hands.

“Alright… Pikachu, let’s--whoa, dodge, dodge!”

The ground split under the Ursaring’s Hammer Arm attack, its eyes never straying from Pikachu’s arm even as dizziness overcame it. Confusion did nothing to deter the beast.

“Come on, let’s try Volt Tackle while it’s out of it!”

Sparks danced over Pikachu’s body before he took off for the normal type, dashing up its arm and eventually headbutting it. The little electric type skidded as the titan fell. When Pikachu righted himself and Ursaring did not, Ash realized the wild pokemon was paralyzed.

Grinning and forming a fist, Ash nodded. “Finish it with a Thunderbolt.”

Nodding back, the yellow mouse gripped his hands and summoned a bolt of lightning. “Pika-chuuu!!”

When Ash could see again--the pillars of plasma never stopped being blinding--he was satisfied to see the Ursaring was out of commission. “Let’s get out of here,” Ash urged, picking up his tired partner. The recoil from Volt Tackle had taken a lot out of him. However, as they walked downhill, Ash’s Pokedex went off. “Hm?” He took it out, curious.

“A new move has been learned. The move Electro Ball has replaced Volt Tackle.”

“Aw, man, Volt Tackle was really useful, too,” Ash pouted. “Ah… I guess we can learn to work your move set without it, huh? Shame you can’t learn more than four moves, haha!” Ash joked with Pikachu, who chirped back in bitter agreement.

Dexter spoke up again. “Actually, the four move rule applies only to unlearned pokemon and League regulations. While you would be disqualified in any official match where you used more than four moves, it is the potential of some pokemon--particularly those who are fully evolved, to--”

“Wait, so Pikachu can relearn Volt Tackle?”

The momentary lapse in response made it clear the artificial intelligence was upset with Ash’s interruption. “Yes. That is what I was saying. Do you need anything else obvious clarified?”

“Since when has this been a thing? I’ve only ever battled… people…” He furrowed his brows. Wait, now that he looked back on it, he did think some things that hadn’t added up at the time were suddenly making sense.

“The most infamous case of a pokemon breaking the four move tradition is Gym Leader Sabrina’s Alakazam. It knows six moves and many owe its success to its mental efficiency and Sabrina’s psychic abilities unlocking the potential within the pokemon more easily than it would have otherwise been achieved. Lance, the Champion, has a Dragonite which knows eight moves; it should be noted that Lance is both much older and more experienced than you.”

“Gee. Thanks, Dexter,” Ash grumped.

“That is the highest confirmed case, as are all others. It is generally believed that the most moves a pokemon can learn is eight. However…”

“Hm?” Ash looked down at the Pokedex, Pikachu inquiring as well from where he perched on Ash’s shoulder. “However what?”

“There is an unconfirmed case of ten.”

Ash was floored. “Ten moves?!”

“The Champion of the Orange Islands is reported to sport a Dragonite with ten moves. This is unconfirmed with League authorities--the Orange League is generally quite self-regulated, like all other sovereign region’s Leagues--but it could be owed to the peculiar nature of some of the islands.” The Pokedex paused. Its screen briefly flashed, showing Pikachu’s data--particularly, its region of origin. “If this is true, you have no chance of learning ten moves.” Dexter then showed Ash’s trainer’s data. “You’ll be lucky to relearn Volt Tackle.”

“Lucky?!” Ash snapped. He clicked the Pokedex shut, snorting angrily. “I’ll show you lucky… Pikachu! We’ll relearn Volt Tackle, won’t we?! You knew it before, which means you were born to know it! It’s your birthright!”

“Pika! Chu.” Hopping down from Ash’s shoulder, looking proud and eager.

The trainer’s confidence wavered. “But… how do you learn it again?”

“Chu…”

The two stood for a time, Ash’s hands on his hips and Pikachu’s ears folded back lowly.

“I’ve got it! We’ll combine Quick Attack and Thunderbolt until we recreate Volt Tackle!” he insisted. The trainer cracked a grin. “We’ll figure it out. I know it!”

The electric type blinked before nodding. With that, he dashed off, bounding off a tree. However, when it came time to gather up the electricity for the Thunderbolt--

Crack!

Ash ducked, dodging the swift falling of a struck pine tree. He gave Pikachu a thumbs up. “Hey, it’s fine! Let’s try again.”

The next time, Pikachu was able to retain the Thunderbolt for a time… but it exploded before he impacted upon the tree he was targeting, resulting in another felled. Again and again he tried, but there were negative results. Soon, they’d blazed a trail towards their base of operations, Volt Tackle slowly forming.

Finally…

“Alright!” Ash cheered, watching as the coat of electricity kept, not wavering, nor threatening to give way even as Pikachu ran. The Quick Attack changed… the trail was no longer gleaming white, but a tail of residual charge. Upon impact, the pokemon recoiled. Picking the exhausted pokemon up, Ash chuckled. “Good job, buddy!” Ash could hear his Pokedex in his bag, but he didn’t need to get it out to know what had just happened.

“You learned your fifth move!”  


* * *

  
Far away, deep within Team Rocket headquarters, a myriad of monitors and computer screens flashed periodically in an otherwise poorly lit room. Bony fingers clicked diligently away at keys, eyes hidden by spectacles darting between the visuals on display. Buried in his work, the man was quite startled at the click of a parting door. Turning from his work, he was greeted with the sight of three shadowy figures. Two were more or less the same height, while the third was dwarfed by the others.

“So. Have you come across anything new?” A feminine voice questioned, gloved fingers resting on the individual’s hip, drumming on her figure with a certain urgency. The cold and reserved tone betrayed her.

“Ah, yes!” The less-than-intimidating man seated across the room stood, posture straight and formal. “We’ve been watching the leads that our espionage equipment have allowed us to come across. Pokemon have been withdrawn and deposited in Professor Oak’s laboratory in Pallet Town and we were able to trace his destination.” Turning toward the monitors, he gestured to a map of Kanto that was on display. A highlighted path ran from the home of the pokemon authority towards the northwest. “The receiving center is stationed outside Mt. Silver, southwest of the Indigo Plateau.”

“Excellent.” A man stepped out of the shadows to get a closer look at the display, brushing a lavender bang astray. Emerald eyes gleamed upon the destination, a grim glee building in his chest. “Finally, we’ll make it known that we’re not a group to be trifled with.”

“Ahem.” The man spoke up, at the risk of sounding insubordinate. “I applaud that objective, but it might be in your best interest to know… Those mountains are far from safe. Powerful wild pokemon riddle the area in numbers great enough to bring the league to close the area to the public. It would be wise to exercise caution when traversing the area.” And, it went without saying, that any trainer who could survive in such a climate was worth acknowledging as a threat, as well.

“Ya got no need to worry about dat.” The last of the three stepped forward, paws folded behind its back. A sinister curved smile was fixed upon the pokemon’s lips, parting only for him to exhibit his unusual talent of speech. “We’ve got all dat unda control. That twoip is gonna finally see the real powuh of Team Rocket!”

“Yes,” the spectacled man stepped down, choosing not to argue. “Just be aware that Mister Giovanni wants you available, in case he has need of your services. It would be best not to be gone too long.”

“Oh, don’t worry. We’ll be in and out before it can make a difference. He won’t know what hit him.” Lips decorated in crimson curved into a smile. Their time to shine had finally arrived.  
  


* * *

  
A narrow tunnel had gone on for quite some distance, and Ash had sworn his eyes were adjusting to the lack of illumination. Was that a good thing? Probably not. Soon enough, though, a light at the end of the tunnel become apparent. “Hey, Pikachu! Check it out!” A chuckle left the trainer’s lips as he rushed towards an end to the nightmarish maze he’d gotten himself mixed up in. “Looks like we finally found a way outta here!” Joined by a cry of joy from the mouse, he was quick to exit the cavern.

Before Ash, then, was a welcome sight. A large open cavern spanned a decent enough width, complete with the open blue skies above. “Alright! This’ll be a much better place to train! Looks like we finally lucked out.” Smiling from ear to ear, he placed both hands upon his hips. “I guess we should get right to it, then!” Reaching for his belt, his hands lingered before grabbing two of the metallic spheres.

“Gliscor, Heracross! Come on out!” Each pokeball was tossed, bursting open to reveal each pokemon respectively. Heracross landed on his hind legs, letting out a cry of its name. Gliscor balanced atop his large, scorpion-like tail. Each happily greeted the trainer, waiting for whatever his command might be.

“Alright, guys. Time to get down to business! What do you say we start out with a battle between you guys? I bet you’ve both gotten stronger since I last saw you at the ranch, right?” Ash raised a fist in the air, only to be met by cries of affirmation from both pokemon. “Great. Then let’s get started!”

Each pokemon stood opposite of one another.

“Alright! Let’s see what you can do! Gliscor, use Fire Fang! And Heracross, you use Focus Punch!”

The Fang Scorpion pokemon bounced off of his perch, taking to the air before gliding down toward Heracross, his mouth lighting ablaze for the inevitable attack he would make on the other. Heracross responded in kind, crouching before launching towards Gliscor with buzzing wings. A fist was drawn back, glowing with considerable power stored. Soon, the two came within mere inches of the other, and Gliscor parted his mouth to gnash down upon its opponent. Not quite fast enough, though, it seemed, as a powerful punch was dealt to his jaw before it had the chance.

Gliscor was sent tumbling through the area, making the best of his aerial mobility before spreading his wings to come to a sudden halt. Cringing in pain, he was quick to shrug off the damage.

“Gliscor, you use Stone Edge! Heracross, you try to dodge it and use Horn Attack!”

Good. This was where it excelled. Gliscor’s pincers were thrown outward, two belts of sharp stones conjuring out of thin air to orbit around his form. With a cry and a toss of his arms, the volley of rocks was launched towards the Stag Beetle pokemon. Meanwhile, the latter’s wings spread, buzzing loudly as he took off into flight. Various haphazard movements allowed him to avoid each barrage heading its way. It took little time, then, to close in, a glowing horn jabbing into Gliscor’s chest.

“Now, try another Fire Fang!”

This time, Gliscor was ready. Still within close range of his opponent, Gliscor parted his jaws before clamping down on Heracross’ head, setting the pokemon ablaze with the super effective attack. Not one to waste the opportunity he was presented with, Gliscor tossed the bug type roughly towards the ground. The latter was sent reeling, making use of his buzzing wings to land safely upon the ground below. A defiant cry was uttered, letting Gliscor know he wasn’t done yet.

“You guys are doing great!” Ash cheered from the sidelines, a grin spread across his features. The battle had been pretty intense, so far! Both of his pokemon were holding up well. “Now, let’s get serious! Heracross, you use Megahorn! And Gliscor, you use Giga Impact!”

Still hovering above, Gliscor surrounded himself in swirling orange streaks, launching down towards Heracross. A purple aura took over his form, glowing brighter as his velocity grew. Of course, the Stag Beetle wasn’t going to take this sitting down. His horn took on a brilliant white shine, brandished like a knight’s lance as the pokemon leapt forward, clashing with Gliscor center-stage.

The two pushed back and forth, struggling to overcome the other in strength. Ash was forced to raise an arm in defense, bracing from bellowing wings that emanated throughout the small cavern. Soon, though, the victor made itself known. “Hera… Cross!” The bug shrieked, pushing through the multicolored barrier to slam his horn into Gliscor’s body, sending the latter pokemon reeling.

“Gliscor…!” The other pokemon grunted, still tumbling through the air. Though immobilized by Giga Impact’s exhausting effects, its aerial prowess still proved handy in allowing it to escape further damaged. Nonetheless, it was growing frustrated.  No matter how hard it seemed to try, Ash’s veteran pokemon seemed to outclass it in both strength and speed. Teeth grit together, golden orbs narrowed upon the Stag Beetle pokemon. There had to be a way to win this.

Standing on the sidelines, Ash looked between both of his pokemon, growing aware of the intensity the match was generating. Each was staring the other down, looking increasingly stubborn to win. “Things are getting heavy in here,” Ash remarked, answered by a nod of agreement from Pikachu. “Guess they really wanna go all out… Alright, let’s try that again! Heracross, Megahorn! Gliscor, Giga Impact!”

Repeating his previous move, Heracross ducked before launching himself at the airborne pokemon, his horn shining bright for yet another strike. Swirling shades accompanied Gliscor, gravity aiding his descent to smash into Heracross once more. The two continued their struggle of pushing against the other, each doing their best with their pride on the line.

Gliscor’s teeth gnashed together, frustration growing as he was failing to overtake the other. Even giving everything he had, he’d seemed to hit a brick wall. His entire body was occupied with holdings its own. Surely, there had to be some other way to win this…? Though, the only limb free was his tail. Maybe it could make a difference?

Raising the end of its scorpion-like tail, Gliscor put in all the focus it could while still holding his position, swinging the limb forward to jab it into Heracross’ upper body. The barbs on his tail suddenly took on a bright purple glow, venom coursing through and permeating into the Stag Beetle’s body.

Heracross let out a cry, parting from the collision as a numb, unpleasant sensation began to take over his form. Landing on all fours, he felt himself succumbing to the effects of poison. Purple static buzzed along his form, giving his condition a visual outlet for those on the outside to see.

“Hey, check it out! Gliscor learned Poison Jab! Congratulations!” Ash cheered, only to have his attention stolen away by a furious red glow. “Huh? What’s that?” Looking over, he found the source to be Heracross. “That’s weird. Wonder what that’s about.” Reaching for the red device inside his pocket, Ash flipped it open.

“One of Heracross’ abilities is Guts. When suffering from a status ailment, the pokemon in question gains a considerable boost in attack power.”

“Oh, right! Paul’s Ursaring had that ability, too. So that means Heracross is stronger than ever!” For that matter, both pokemon seemed to be at their peak. At least, in spirit. Both had been revitalized by a turning point in the battle, and both looked more stubborn to settle things than ever. “I guess they really wanna muscle each other out… Okay, you guys! The same moves, one more time!”

Both took their cue, with Gliscor plummeting down surrounded by orange and purple streaks of light, and Heracross launching forward with a powerful Megahorn attack. Both clashed in the center once more, putting out more power than ever before.

This time, however, a vibrant red glow swirled with the bright light of Megahorn, granting Heracross the power strike Gliscor, tossing him off of his horn. The latter was sent flying towards a nearby wall, slamming into the rocky surface. When the debris cleared, swirls had formed in his eyes. Gliscor was out of commission and unable to battle.

“Man, that was intense…! You guys were great!” Ash rushed over to a huffing Heracross, giving him a pat on the head before rummaging through his bag. “I can tell, you’ve gotten a lot stronger! And you’re still as hardy as ever, huh?” He complimented, feeding the pokemon a Pecha berry.

“Cross!” He happily accepted the fruit, quickly freeing himself of his poisoned status. Along with coming out victorious, he’d been thrilled to engage in such a fierce battle!

“You alright, Gliscor?”

Golden eyes parted, spotting Ash cradlings his form. Still sore, in body and spirit, he let out a huff. “Gliscor.” Even after learning a new move, he’d come up short. It was hard not to feel a bit sour, to say the least.

“Hey, don’t sweat it! You put up a really great fight there, and you learned a new move! I guess close-up fights of that kind just aren’t your strong point, yet. Plus, Heracross has been around longer than you… But hey! That just means we’ll have to train harder! You’ll keep getting stronger, in no time! Don’t let that get you down, alright?”

“Gliscor!” The Fang Scorpion chirped, taking well to Ash’s words. At the very least, he’d gotten a little bit stronger, and found a good battle partner! From here, things would only get better.  


* * *

  
The sun hovered just above the canopy. Ash looked down upon it from the cliff he’d strayed onto. A path to the side would lead him back down to the Pokemon Center. But, for now, he had one final battle of the day to carry out before he turned in.

“Swellow, Staraptor, come on out!”

The two flying types took to the air before seeking perches. Swellow landed on the ground beside Ash, feet tucked neatly under her body. Staraptor landed on a barren, dead tree, weight only barely supported. The trainer looked between the sleek and the stout birds, a smile upon his lips. “Alright, guys, I’m gonna see how you’re faring with a battle!”

“Star!”

“Wellow.”

Nodding, Ash watched them take off, gliding upon the air.

“Okay, Staraptor, use Aerial Ace!”

At once, the brown bird took off for Swellow, wings beating furiously.

“You, too, Swellow!”

However, no matter how quickly Staraptor beat his wings, Swellow was faster. She made impact, feet pressing down upon Staraptor’s back.

“Hm,” Ash paused, considering the options as the two birds separated. “Staraptor, use Quick Attack. Swellow, you use Double Team.”

By using Quick Attack, Staraptor was able to land his hit, sending Swellow flying. By the spinning, falling Swellow became two which became three which became four, all saving themselves before they hit the canopy below. Bathed in the orange light of sunset, the mystery of the true Swellow was only compounded by the failing light. Both birds relied upon sunlight.

“Aerial ace, Staraptor!” Maybe he’d land a hit, even if there were four… but he couldn’t leave Swellow a sitting duck. That wouldn’t happen in a real battle. “Quick attack, Swellow!”

Staraptor’s eyes strained, looking for the slightest hint of which Swellow was real as he approached the party of four. He studied the stroke of their wings, eventually figuring out three of them lacked the fluid motion of the fourth. Upon that one Staraptor closed in.

Unfortunately, the Swellow was able to dodge by using Quick Attack, flipping in the air to come around behind Staraptor as the grey bird’s massive wings swept through its doubles.

“Steel Wing, Swellow!” The trainer gritted his teeth, watching as the blue bird drew closer and closer to Staraptor. Finally, her wings folded in a brief interlude before it would deal out pain. “Close Combat, now, Staraptor!”

Like a switch, Staraptor flipped, claws extended and latching onto Swellow’s own. The duo tumbled, Swellow’s Steel Wing failing in her panic. They’d been so high in the sky when they started, but now they plummeted. All the while, Staraptor pounded Swellow with his wings, giving the other bird no rest.

As they neared the trees jutting up from the valley, Staraptor released Swellow, saving his own skin. Swellow likewise pulled up, though she was clearly weary. Whatever advantage she had with speed was now negated by her injuries.

“Swellow, let’s try Quick Attack, again. And, Staraptor… see if you can finish up with Brave Bird.”

Swellow tried. However, as slow as Staraptor was compared to her, the other bird could just take a hit better than Swellow. As such, Staraptor came from behind, ramming into the Hoenn native flying type. Soon, the two skidded into the ground on the cliff, Ash inches away from getting caught up in the wreckage.

Swellow stilled, unconscious. Staraptor panted, worn out.

Ash walked over, chuckling. He squatted beside the bird, patting it. “Well. I think someone got a little cozy back at the ranch. You’re gonna have to work on that speed, buddy!”

Staraptor turned his head away, embarrassed. “Raptor…”

“It’s fine. We came up to train, remember?” He looked towards Swellow, then. “And, Swellow’s endurance… definitely going to have to make her tougher.” Nodding, he returned both. “Thanks guys, great job!”  


* * *

  
Another brisk afternoon had come to the rocky cliffs of Mt. Silver, which meant another prime day that would inevitably be full of training. Ash stood atop one of the slopes, just outside of a cavern leading back into the innards of the mountain. “Alright! About time you’ve got some one-on-one training…” Ash smiled down at a pokeball that was held within his grasp, winding up before throwing it into the air. “Infernape, come on out!”

A flash of light quickly took the form of a bipedal fighting type, indiscernible chatter following the pokemon’s appearance. Infernape turned to Ash, expectant and eager to begin whatever training the boy likely had in mind. Sure, battling wild pokemon was a great workout, but he had to have had something in mind to simply call Infernape out on his own.

“Bet you’re ready to get started, huh? Today, I came up with something a little different. There aren’t a ton of fighting types up on the mountain… So, how about you get some exercise by sparring with me, instead? Ya might have to take it a lil easy on me…” Lest he end up needing to be dragged down the mountain in bandages. “But, it could be fun! That way, you’ll be able to keep your fighting style in top shape! What do you say?”

“Fernape!” The simian cried, a fist raised in front of him that said it all, even if Ash couldn’t quite understand his words. This was unconventional. All the same, though, this should be fun! Ash seemed like he was in pretty good shape. He’d even endured the pokemon’s own rampages back before it had evolved. If he was hardy enough to take that, then it wouldn’t weigh on Infernape’s conscience to spar a little with his trainer.

“Great! Then, come at me! I wanna see how tough you’ve gotten since the league.” Ash challenged, widening his stance and crouching slightly with both arms raised.

“Ape!” The pokemon lunged at Ash, throwing a restrained punch that was caught with a quick correction of Ash’s forearm. Bearing a small grin at the boy’s swiftness, the pokemon threw a few more jabs, each barely ducked and parried by Ash, if not without a few painful scrapes.

“Hey, not bad! You’ve gotten pretty fast. Now, heads up!” With that warning, Ash threw a punch towards the shorter primate. The blow was swiftly dodged, followed by several more attempted strikes. All were blocked and ducked with impressive prowess on Infernape’s part, followed by a couple of strikes in return. Soon enough, Infernape did manage to land a punch on Ash. Watching the boy recoil, he quickly retracted his fist.

“Man… Talk about power. That kinda hurt!” Ash massaged his sore cheek, even still managing to crack a grin. Headstrong as ever, though, he dove right back in, trying to return the favor. Playful strikes and the occasional kick were exchanged between the two, echoed by the stealthy sounds of strikes thrown, and the occasional grunt or yell of one of the participants.

Sooner or later, the exercise caught the ears of an intrigued observer. Loud, heavy steps could be heard from inside the cave, growing nearer and nearer to the light of the outdoors. Ignorant to being noticed, Ash and Infernape had come to a halt after a rather invigorating sparring session.

Breathing heavily, Ash wiped sweat from his brow before standing upright. “Wow… That was great! I wouldn’t wanna fight you in a real battle, that’s for sure! You’re really getting stronger, Infernape.” Chances were, he’d walk out of this with a couple of bruises, but Ash was hardly one to complain. At least, right now. His pokemon were his first concern, and Infernape was holding up well.

“Ape!” A bit less winded, but still in a fighting mind, the hybrid agreed, hopping energetically from one foot to the other. For someone who wasn’t a pokemon, Ash had held his own. Though, his focus on their results didn’t last long. Slow, ground-shaking steps caught his attention, bringing his yellow orbs toward the nearby cavern. His instincts proved correct, as a fellow pokemon stepped out of the shadows.

“It’s a Hariyama!” Ash’s eyes followed Infernape’s, now lying upon the rotund pokemon standing opposite of the two. It certainly wasn’t one he’d seen before; he hadn’t even known there were any of its kind up in these mountains. Watching its restless movements, Ash quickly came to a conclusion. “Hey, Infernape! I think this Hariyama wants to pick a fight with you!”

“Infernape!” The pokemon nodded, baring a grin when a nod from the fighting type confirmed his trainer’s suspicions. It was likely that the other shared his sentiments. The presence of a powerful fellow fighting type was probably rare, and it would be silly to turn down such an opportunity.

“Yama!” The Arm Thrust pokemon bellowed, stomping down with one foot upon the rocky surface before the other. Crouching, it awaited the first move from the pokemon and his trainer.

“Then let’s go! Infernape, use Flamethrower!”

“Ape!” Infernape shrieked, parting his mouth to let loose a scalding stream of flames toward the other pokemon. Hardly the fastest pokemon around, Hariyama was bathed in the heat, obscured from sight until orange lights and black soot faded away. It stood strong, bearing little more than a few scratches on its body. It brushed its belly with one of its large hands, seemingly unaffected.

“You’re kidding! Flamethrower didn’t do a thing!” Ash gawked, soon interrupted by a beep of his pokedex. Drawing the device from his pocket, he was answered with Dexter’s robotic voice.

“One of Hariyama’s abilities is Thick Fat. This reduces the damage of fire and ice type attacks.”

“That figures… Flamethrower isn’t going to help us.” Ash noted, only to catch the pokemon charging out of the corner of his eye. It rushed toward Infernape, one arm drawn back, clearly ready to be thrown towards the other. “That’s Arm Thrust! Infernape, dodge it!”

Quick footwork and acrobatics allowed Infernape to spring out of the attack’s range, landing atop a small boulder that adorned the battlefield. Though he’d avoided damage, that attack had seemed quite powerful. Infernape and his trainer would definitely have to be careful.

“We’ll have to use speed… Infernape, use Mach Punch!”

The Flame pokemon quickly obliged, crouching before lunging towards Hariyama, a glowing fist brandished that was thrown toward the other with remarkable speed. The punch landed its mark, hitting Hariyama clean in the face. The latter pokemon skidded back a bit across the ground, uprooted by the punch. Infernape would look on in awe, though, as the other appeared to be only marginally winded by the move.

Breath quickly left his lungs, a brutal Arm Thrust smashing into the simian’s chest in return. Gasping for air, the fire type was sent reeling before regaining his footing further away from Hariyama.

“Man, it can really take a punch…!” Ash observed, visibly impressed. It seemed stamina was this pokemon’s strong point. This time, he was coy to the pokemon’s next move. A sweep of Hariyama’s arm had kicked up a curtain of sand and dust, threatening to surround Infernape.

“It’s using Sand Attack! Infernape, dive underground and use Dig!”

Infernape wasted no time, leaping before quickly burrowing under solid rock. Quickly burrowing through the ground before emerging within mere inches of his opponent. A striking uppercut was dealt out, knocking Hariyama clean into the air. Landing with questionable balance, Hariyama grunted in pain.

“Nice one!” Ash cheered. “That oughta do it!” Relief soon turned to horror, though, as the heavy pokemon lunged forward, catching Infernape’s body on its remarkably large arm. After knocking the wind out of Infernape, Hariyama swung his arm forward, tossing the Flame pokemon across the battlefield. “Infernape!”

The fire type pulled himself to his feet, canines bared. His attack were only doing so much, and just two hits from the sumo wrestler had left him short of breath. Hardy as ever, though, he let out a battle cry. He was sure that Ash would figure out a strategy that would lead them to victory.

“It takes hits way too well… The way things are going, it’ll just keep coming back at Infernape!” Though it had put on an impressive display, it was quickly finding itself cornered. “We’ll have to go for broke. Use Flare Blitz, now!”

A whip of the fire type’s head surrounded his body in a roaring blue flame, preparing him for the brutal assault that would follow. Infernape threw itself at Hariyama, crashing into the other in a brilliant blaze. The sheer momentum pile-drived the recipient into the cave wall, ending in an explosion of flames that covered its form.

Unfortunately for Infernape, who was currently dealing with the move’s recoil, Hariyama hadn’t been done in. Dislodging itself from the stone, Hariyama let out a battle cry as a strike was thrown toward its opponent, striking him in the face with its open palm. This time, however, it didn’t stop there. Multiple blows followed, quickly overwhelming Infernape.

“That’s Close Combat!” Ash identified the move, swallowing before throwing a fist forward. “Don’t give in! Try to fight back, with Mach Punch! Back to back!” Infernape followed, teeth grit as a glowing punch was thrown, once more hitting Hariyama in the chin. Another blow followed, striking it in the gut. Another punch was thrown, this time met with another opposing strike.

The two pokemon met each other blow for blow, initially appearing even. When Infernape spotted an opening, however, a sweep of Hariyama’s leg knocked into his shin, throwing him off balance. Two more kicks followed, pushing the tiring primate on the defensive.

A gleam in the Flame pokemon’s eyes followed, a brilliant fighting spirit igniting in his guts. Instinct took over, allowing Infernape to strike like lightning. Precise punches and kicks pummeled Hariyama, swift attacks slipping by the slower strikes it dealt out. A roundhouse kick sent it skidding across the gravelly surface once more, vision growing weary in the face of the assault.

“Hey, check it out, Pikachu!” Ash beamed, watching the battle turn around before his very eyes. “Infernape’s fighting just like he was when we were training! He must’ve learned Close Combat, too!”

“Pikachu!” The mouse cheered, congratulating his teammate. By now, Infernape had created some distance between himself and his opponent, its posture less than ideal and its breath racing.

“Now’s our chance!” Ash threw an arm forward, yelling at the top of his lungs. “Now, finish this up with Flare Blitz!” Another fiery film surrounded the pokemon, bolting forward like a shooting star that slammed into the larger fighting type, ending in a fiery explosion.

Ash’s arm reached up to cover his mouth, guarding it from smoke and soot that flew his way. Coughing several times to clear the sting from his throat, he waited for the dark veil to clear.

Soon enough, it did. Infernape stood in the middle of the clearing, hunched over. Laying before him was the challenger, Hariyama, who had been knocked out cold. Victory had been snatched after bordering on the verge of defeat.

“Infernape! That was great!” Ash let out a chuckle, sprinting over before catching the tired pokemon in his arms, spinning Infernape in his arms before setting him down. “That battle looked like a real tough one. You held your own out there, big time! Guess our training paid off after all, huh?” He winked, more than proud of the fruits of their labor.

“Infernape!” Tired and weary, but proud all the same, the fire type agreed. He’d kept his honor.  


* * *

  
The sun had set over the horizon facing Johto, and a temperate summer time breeze had cast over the mountainous area, marking night time’s dark embrace. The starry skies made for quite the camouflage for a pitch-black vehicle that traversed the atmosphere with a low hum, keeping it well out of the eyes of the law. It hovered in circles around the jutted cliffs of Mt. Silver, ever vigilant for some sort of target.

“They did say he was out here, didn’t they? It feels like we’ve been looking for over an hour…” A frown had fixed itself on the features of an emerald-eyed man, the orbs darting left and right across the surface of the titanic mountain from the security of the small airship.

“Dey sure did. But he could be anywhere in dis mess o’ rocks. We could be out here all night for all we know.” Meowth quipped, fitted with a pair of x-ray goggles that scanned over the very same area. Even with their state-of-the-art technology, scraping through such a cluttered area was no fun.

“Whining won’t help. Just keep your eyes peeled! If we know the kid, he should at least be awake.” Jessie interjected. Ash wasn’t exactly a night-owl, but judging by their experiences, he wasn’t the first to fall asleep here. “...Which means, he should have some sort of light out.”

Lo and behold, an ember burned in the distance, lighting up a small area near the foot of the mountain. Standing out like a glimmering star among the scenery, the fire left a gleeful smile upon each of the agents’ faces.

“Looks like we’ve found our target.”

Down below, Ash sat on a mossy rise at the bottom of Mt. Silver, propped up against the rocky wall of one of its cliffs. Before him was a roaring campfire, where Pikachu sat adjacent to him. Feeling at peace, he smiled, folding his arms behind his head. “Ah… Can ya believe how long we’ve been here, Pikachu? It feels like just yesterday, we got permission to come up here.”

“Pika!” His electric companion agreed, basking in the warmth of the flame. The journey had been strenuous, to say the least, but he was sure his strength had grown a great deal. He couldn’t wait to see the results!

“We’ve really come a long way. Just wait ‘till we head back down and-”

An explosion of black, lung-scratching smoke interrupted the youth, shrouding the entire area in its murky grasp. Ash and Pikachu coughed violently, waving their arms in a feeble attempt to rid themselves of the smog. “What the heck is that!?” Ash barked, guarding his mouth.

“Oh, just a couple of familiar faces!” The voice of a young woman bellowed, turning Ash’s eyes toward a large boulder nearby, his ears picking up on the voice he’d come to known all too well.

“It’s been a lil’ while since we’ve seen ya, so we thought we’d drop in!” A catty voice coupled with a heavy accent added in, just as irritating as ever.

“We’re honestly a little hurt. You didn’t forget about us, after all this time, did you?”

Ash’s stomach turned in a familiar mixture of annoyance and disgust, the boy’s teeth clashing together. Standing to move beyond the smokescreen, he found himself face to face with the trio of Rockets, each standing atop the large rock with their usual grandiose flair. This time, however, they looked a little bit different. Rather than sporting their usual wear, Jessie and James were sporting pitch-black uniforms, matching from head to toe, pardoning the red “R” on their chests.

“Team Rocket!? You followed me all the way out here…? Man, you guys never give up!” Bitterness rang in his tone. This time, he really thought he’d gotten them out of his hair for a while. “Look. We’re stronger than ever, now, so why don’t you just do yourselves a favor and leave?”

“Pi-Pikachu!” Darting up to his trainer’s shoulder to be free of the smog, Pikachu agreed.

“I’m offended. You really don’t know us better than that?” Jessie feigned hurt, dramatically resting a hand atop her forehead.

“Don’t be fooled, twerp. Things are a little different, now.”

“You guys aren’t the only ones who’ve toughened up! Da three of us got a big promotion! And we’re gonna make ya wish you never messed with Team Rocket!”

“What’re you talking about!? You guys are the ones who always start fights with us!” Ash barked, quickly losing patience with the trio. New gear or not, this all had gotten old.

“But that was the old Team Rocket. We have a bone to pick with you.”

“...So allow us to reintroduce ourselves!”

Another explosion went off behind the group, starting yet another rendition of something all too familiar.

“Prepare for trouble!”

“Make it double.”

“To protect the world from devastation!”

“To unite all peoples within our nation.”

“To denounce the evils of truth and love!”

“To extend our reach to the stars above!”

“Jessie!”

“James!”

“Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!”

“Surrender now, or prepare to fight!”

“Meowth, that’s right!”

Ash raised a brow at the trio, raising his hand over his mouth to fake a yawn “What do you mean, new? You’re just back to the old motto! Can’t you find a new way to bore us?”

Jessie’s brow twitched. Suppressing her well known temper, she went on. “But, you don’t understand. You don’t know what we can do, yet. As if you could wrap your twerpy little head around it.”

“And this time, we’re going to take Pikachu, and all of your precious pokemon!”

“But, just to show ya how generous we are, we’ll play by da rules. We’ll beat ya fair and square, and then take all yer pokemon. How does that sound, twoip?”

“You’ll never steal Pikachu and the others! But a battle sounds fine with me!” Ash yelled back at the gang, a fist raised in the air. “Whenever you’re ready, come and get me!”

“Don’t say we didn’t warn you. Wobbuffet?” Jessie snapped a finger, answered by a red flash of light taking the form of the Patient pokemon. Eager as ever, it saluted her. “Wobbuffet!”

“It’s your turn, Carnivine!” James tossed a pokeball forward, only to be ensnared by the affectionate grass type. Letting out a squeal, he tossed it toward their opponent. “Not now, Carnivine! We’ve trained for this!” Brushing that embarrassment aside, he bore a smirk.

“That goes double for me! Pikachu, go! Swellow, I choose you!” The electric mouse quickly joined the fray, and a tossed pokeball released the flying type. She let out a caw, eager to fight.

“Now, Pikachu! Thunderbolt!” Ash called out, beginning the battle in his usual fashion.

Pikachu let out a shriek, unleashing a vicious bolt of electricity that cut through the air.

“Wobbuffet, use Mirror Coat!” Jessie called, her command answered almost immediately. The psychic type threw itself into the bolt’s path, surrounding himself in a multicolored veil. The electric attack crashed into his form, pushing him back momentarily before a thrust of his form launched the attack back with twice the power.

The frightening flash of electricity was quick to make its way back, enveloping both of Ash’s pokemon. “Pikachu! Swellow!” Ash called out in horror, waiting for the smoke to clear. Both emerged with a number of burns, one worse for wear than the other. “Are you guys alright?”

Pikachu winced, pulling himself to his feet before regaining a battle-ready gait. “Pika!”

Swellow, however, hadn’t been so lucky. Having taken the hit from a super-effective attack, she struggled to shrug off the pain. Stubborn and hardy as ever, though, she persevered. “Swellow!”

“Now, Carnivine! Bullet Seed!” James put a hand forward, quickly joined by the cry of the Bug Catcher pokemon. Opening its wide maw, it spit out a volley of energized seeds toward Pikachu. The electric mouse was pelted with them, letting out a cry as he stumbled back under the shower.

“Don’t let it get away with that, Swellow! Aerial Ace!” The flying type quickly took to the air, turning into one of her signature loops before closing in on Carnivine. The gentle breeze was cut like an ocean wave split by the hull of a boat, making way for Swellow’s speedy assault.

Tutting and wagging his finger, James interjected. “Careful, twerp! Carnivine, use Power Whip to catch that bird brain!” Two vines shot out from the grass type’s neck, each glowing a bright purple color. They wrapped around the bird’s aerodynamic body, moving with her momentum to swing her before tossing her towards a nearby cliff face. Tried as she may, Swellow was only able to somewhat slow its impact.

“They weren’t kidding…! They really are stronger!” Ash’s teeth grit together, brows furrowing. “But, that won’t stop us! Pikachu, use Quick Attack on Wobbuffet!” The mouse wasted no time, righting himself before breaking into a silver-tinted sprint. In no time at all, he’d closed the gap, smashing his body into the other, sending it reeling and flipping through the air.

“Good, now help Swellow out, by using Iron Tail!” Just landing from his encounter with the psychic type, Pikachu sprang into action once more, hips twisting as his jagged tail took on a silvery coat. It soon slammed into Carnivine, sending the pokemon flying into the air.

“Good! Now, Swellow! Use Quick Attack on Wobbuffet!” Growing frustrated with her opponents, Swellow let out a shrill cry, furiously beating her wings before zipping in towards her opponent.

“Wobbuffet, Counter!” An orange aura surrounded it, shielding it when Swellow’s beak crashed into its body. A repelling force smashed into the bird, sending her sailing once more into the air.

“Hang in there, Swellow! Use Quick Attack on it, again!” Stubborn as ever, Swellow cawed before swooping in once more, surrounding herself with a silver light that trailed her form.

“I think the twerp’s losing his head.” James let out a chuckle brushing a bang from his eyes.

“I guess all dis time away from da rest of da world made him a little loopy!” Meowth cackled.

“Well, if the twerp wants to throw the match, that’s not our problem. Wobbuffet, Counter!”

Meanwhile, a snide smile had curved its way onto Ash’s lips. Coy as ever, he didn’t stop there. “Now, change that into an Air Slash attack!” Watching the trio’s jaws drop, Ash witnessed Swellow do just as told. The bird came to a screeching halt, opting to furiously flap her wings, unleashing several swirling orbs of energy spun about by wind. They barraged Wobbuffet, earning a cry of pain from the Patience pokemon.

James’ eye twitched, his patience wearing thin. No matter. They’d make him pay for his insolence, soon enough. “Don’t let them rest, Carnivine! Use Bullet seed on Pikachu, once more!” Carnivine let out a cry, its large mouth parting to barrage the electric mouse with explosive seeds.

“Pikachu, dodge them with Quick Attack!” Pikachu wasted no time, darting to and fro to avoid the shower of projectiles, hopping from rock to rock, followed by a gleaming trail of light that carried him safely out of the attack’s range. “Good, now keep it up, and use Electro Ball!”

Still making use of his momentum, Pikachu vaulted into the air above, building up electricity on the tip of his tail. “Pika, Pika, Pika, Pika…” He recited the syllables of his name, the vibrations of his small frame building up a brilliant golden sphere behind him. “Chuu… Pi!” Soon, it had grown to the size of a beach ball, and it was launched toward Carnivine.

The grass type stared into the blinding light, awestruck. Far from fast enough to dodge, it took the powerful electric attack head-on, emerging from the resulting debris unconscious. As soon as it had appeared, it was removed in a flash of red light, returning to its pokeball.

“Great! Now, it’s two on one!” Not letting the opportunity slip by, Ash threw a hand to the air. “Now, let’s finish this! Pikachu, Electro Ball! Swellow, Aerial Ace!” If Wobbuffet was dealing with two different types of attacks, then it couldn’t deflect both of them, could it? Pikachu jumped up once more, flipping over before firing a brilliant ball of electricity. Swellow followed, turning into a loop before launching forward, aligning herself with Pikachu’s attack.

What should have been a look of horror on Jessie’s face was anything but. Cherry red lips curved upward, parting to call a single command. “Use Destiny Bond!” Wobbuffet surrounded itself in a purple glow, standing still as it took the two powerful attacks head-on. Swellow had already been moving too fast to stop, and Pikachu could do nothing about his own attack. The combined force knocked Wobbuffet out-cold. Though, unfortunately for Ash, it wasn’t the only one.

A similar purple light surrounded Swellow and Pikachu, promptly rendering the two unconscious. Ash gawked, eyes wide at the sight. “Pikachu! Swellow!” Gritting his teeth together, he returned the latter before walking to pick up the former. Brow twitching, he stared the trio down. That was the last thing he would have expected.

Jessie, James, and Meowth reveled in laughter, hands on each of their hips as their gaze turned toward their sworn enemy. “Surprised? We told you we were in a whole other league.”

“And now we’ve beaten your precious Pikachu. You might as well make things easy, and hand your pokemon over, now! Unless you want to continue embarrassing yourself.” James added. All of their hard work was paying off. They’d started turning the tables on Ash! Revenge was proving to be all too sweet.

“You may’ve beaten Pikachu, but not my other pokemon! We’re still gonna beat you.” Ash yelled back, adamant as ever in holding his ground. He reached for the brim of his cap, flipping the headwear backwards in his usual dramatic fashion. Two pokeballs were then thrown forward. “Staraptor, Gliscor! I choose you!” The two airborne pokemon made their appearance, hovering above the battlefield. Spotting their opponents, they needed no explanation.

“No skin off my bones, then. Magneton, it’s your turn!” James tossed a pokeball, letting out the electric/steel hybrid. It let out a synchronized shriek of its name, hovering above ground.

“Get them, Yanmega!” Jessie called on her pokemon next, unveiling the large insect.

There was only a brief moment of calm as all the flying or levitating pokemon looked at each other. James then cracked a smile. “Magneton, use Electric Terrain!” The pokemon let out an ear-straining screech, unleashing a golden ragnarok of electricity along the mountainside. Stray bolts danced from the ground, forcing Ash to jump out of harm’s way once or twice.

While the move itself wouldn’t do much, the presence of some much latent electricity would be sure to make Staraptor nervous, the Rocket assumed. And, in a pinch they could always have Magneton land to make use of the extra energy.

“Whatever you’re planning isn’t gonna work!” Ash warned, pointing a finger forward. “Gliscor, use Fire Fang on Magneton!”

The ground type glided forward, momentum from his impact rocking Magneton a bit. The metallic pokemon reeled upon being bitten, less than pleased with the flames dancing upon its form.

Jessie’s frown deepened. “Yanmega! Use Ancient Power on Staraptor!”

“Quick Attack to Dodge!”

While Staraptor successfully managed to dodge the largest and thus most damaging of the rocks, a few did nick the bird. The major advantage, however, was the increase Yanmega felt from the use of the move. It had unlocked some temporary wells of strength in the bug type.

“We’re going to have to nip that in the edge,” Ash muttered. “Gliscor! Use Stone Edge on Yanmega! Staraptor, you use Close Combat on Magneton!”

“Counter it with Sonic Boom, Yanmega!” Jessie ordered.

James was too late to give any orders. Staraptor pounded Magneton with his wings and talons, pressing the steel type down until a final batter of his wings sent it crashing into the earth. Meanwhile, Gliscor’s stones hit their mark, though they were slowed and rendered less damaging due to the Sonic Boom, which was able to take Gliscor off guard.

“Fine! Magneton, stay down and use Lock On!”

Jessie grinned. If James had in mind what she thought he did… But, she had the battle at hand to focus on.

“Staraptor, use Brave Bird on Yanmega!”

Flapping his wings mightily to fly higher, the bird eventually folded his limbs, headed straight for Yanmega.

“Zap Cannon on Staraptor,” James called out.

At the same time, from the ground below, Magneton fired off an enormous burst of electricity.

Ash’s breath caught and he urged his voice on. “Gliscor, block that!”

Amidst the chaos, Gliscor obeyed, swooping in to take the blow meant for Staraptor… at very little cost to himself. Aside from the sheer impact of having that much energy tossed to him at once, he seemed to be unaffected. It was as if he’d been shoved, really… which only served to frustrate James to the point of pulling his own hair.

Jessie gave him a disapproving look before attending to her own portion of the battle. “Fine, Yanmega, defend yourself with Steel Wing!”

While Yanmega tried valiantly, the velocity of Staraptor was simply too much. Slamming into his opponent with overwhelming strength, both went skidding across the--thankfully--fading Electric Terrain.

Deciding to not let up, Ash called for another attack. “Gliscor, use Fire Fang, again!”

“Scor!” Chomping down on the Magneton once more, it was clear this time that Gliscor meant business. Vampire-like fangs slammed down upon the metallic surface, lighting it ablaze.

Realizing Yanmega was momentarily dazed, the trainer once again took advantage of the situation. “Close Combat, and one last Fire Fang!”

“Not so fast, Silver Wind, Yanmega!” Jessie instructed.

The Silver Wind trailed behind Staraptor as he went to join Gliscor in doling out punishment to Magneton. The pale gray breeze obscured the trio as one portion of the battle led to its conclusion. Yanmega enjoyed another temporary burst of power…

But, seeing as the fading of Silver Wind showed the defeat of its ally, would it be enough to manage against both of Ash’s pokemon?

Not if the trainer could help it.

“Let’s finish this! Staraptor, Aerial Ace! Gliscor, Giga Impact!”

Leading the assault, Staraptor surrounded himself in a bright blue blaze, crashing into Yanmega, which sent it tumbling. By the time it knew what was happening, Gliscor was upon it, surrounded by a swirl of purple and orange hues.

“Alright!” Ash praised, giving a thumbs up to the clearly exhausted Gliscor and the fatigued Staraptor.

Fuming, Jessie returned her pokemon, following the example James had already set. “You little brat! Nidoqueen, I choose you!”

“Nidoking, let’s follow through!”

Wasting no time, Jessie called an order before Ash could open his mouth. “Toxic Spikes!” Nidoqueen opened her mouth wide, firing a multitude of poisonous projectiles. Each of them rained onto the field, sinking into the ground below in a purple mist.

“Great. Now, we’ll have to deal with that if we don’t wrap this up.” Eager to finish this, Ash continued. “Staraptor, use Aerial Ace on Nidoqueen! Gliscor, try Fire Fang on Nidoking!”

“Nah-ah-ah!” James taunted, wiggling his finger. “Nidoking, hit ‘em with a Double Kick!”

Rather than getting to sink his fangs into the Nidoking’s hide, Gliscor got a face full of kicks. Thankfully, though, Staraptor’s Aerial Ace landed true, sending Nidoqueen stumbling backwards.

Feeling desperate, Ash called for a more forceful set of moves. “Giga Impact! Brave Bird!”

Before it could strike, however, it seemed that Jessie’s patience had run short. “Nidoqueen, end it with Blizzard!”

The sudden snowstorm blew the two flying types back. Covering his eyes to protect them from the heavy hitting clumps of snow, yet still desperately trying to see what his pokemon were doing, the trainer was despaired to see… nothing.

It was all harsh noise and frost.

However, as quickly as the storm had blown up, it ended. His pokemon were nowhere to be seen, he realized with fright, as he shook off snow. He brought out their pokeballs, wildly firing each until they both returned their proper contents from under the snow. Opposite him, the two ground types stood, snow sliding off their bodies.

“What a mess,” James muttered, stomping his boots to get the snow off himself.

“It got the job done,” Jessie bit.

Sweat dripped down Ash’s brow, despite what the frost-ridden battlefield might have one believe. The campfire had been subdued by Blizzard, leaving the battlefield quite dim - in spirit, and in reality. _‘This is getting bad… They weren’t kidding about changing a whole lot. And now my last two pokemon are gonna be poisoned, too.’_ A chuckle left Ash, a grin appearing that very much betrayed the situation. “I guess this really is our test, huh? Well, we’re still gonna win! No matter what!” Showing defiance in the face of troubling odds, Ash tossed his last two pokeballs forward.

“Heracross, Infernape! I’m counting on you!” Each pokemon appeared in a flash of light, standing among the snow. Each let out a cry of pain, suddenly permeated with toxic goo that slipped through the ground below. Infernape let out a cry in response, hunched over and ready to battle. Heracross, meanwhile, had been surrounded in a faint red aura.

“Sorry, guys… But I need you, now! Let’s show Team Rocket just how tough we are!” Ash rallied the pokemon to battle, answered by two cries of agreement. As always, they were eager and willing to fight on their trainer’s behalf. Especially if it was for his protection.

“Now, Infernape, use Dig, and head for Nidoqueen!” The Flame pokemon leapt forward, digging under the surface to burrow towards the other pokemon. With any luck, he’d land a super effective hit.

“Nice try, twerp. Nidoqueen, Earth Power!” Jessie’s call was answered with swiftness, the large poison type striking the ground with her fist. Cracks formed along the surface, trails of golden light shining through the snow. An explosion erupted underground, sending Infernape soaring into the air above. Definitely hurting from the super effective attack.

“Don’t give in! Hit it with Flamethrower!” Ash called next, stubborn to avoid giving them momentum in the battle. Recovering quickly, Infernape parted his mouth to unleash a stream of fire, further melting away the snow blanketing the battlefield.

“Don’t let that through, Nidoking! You use Flamethrower, too!” James interjected. Nidoking did just as told, letting loose another wave of heat. The two attacks collided, erupting in a scalding explosion that seemed to make the battlefield uncomfortably hot. Peppering it with ashes.

A growl of frustration passed under Ash’s breath. “Heracross, hit it with Focus Punch!” The Stag Beetle pokemon took initiative, zipping across the battlefield to deliver a powerful punch to the distracted Nidoking’s face. Caught off-guard, the pokemon stumbled back, wincing in pain.

“Don’t allow that to go unpunished! Use Double Kick!” Letting out an irritated roar, Nidoking rebounded, slamming one of its taloned feet right into Heracross’ chest. Watching the other recoil, it followed up by swinging its body around, rocking his form with a strike of its tail.

Meanwhile, Infernape let out a cry of pain, suffering the creeping, stinging wrath of poison flowing through his body. Unfortunately all too familiar with this sensation, thanks to Paul, he persevered, golden hues turning on Ash. More or less begging to let him back in on the action.

“Don’t let it get to you, Infernape! Hit ‘er with Close Combat!” He didn’t need be told twice. Springing back into action, he entered with a right hook, leaving Nidoqueen no time to rest under the assault of coordinated punches and kicks. A roundhouse kick to the chest sent the pokemon skidding back, reeling and hurting.

“Don’t take that from that primate! Use Earth Power!” Although, Jessie, like her comrades, still held something of a soft spot for Infernape. Even they had their limits on cruelty. All the same, victory was their priority. Besides, once they took it off of Ash’s hands, they could give it a rightful home!

Oblivious to her trainer’s thoughts and motives, Nidoqueen struck the ground once more. An earth-shaking force ran through the battlefield, letting loose slivers of golden light before erupting under Infernape.

This time, though, he was prepared. Springing out of the explosion’s range with athletic prowess, Infernape landed back closer to his trainer. Just as soon as he’d avoided danger, though, a rush of stinging pain overcame him, reminding him of that ever annoying poisoned status.

Of course, this battle was continuing on a different front. “Heracross, Stone Edge!” The insect spread his buzzing wings, conjuring two belts of rather sharp rocks that circled its form. With a cry, he launched them all forward, pelting Nidoking with the onslaught. A grunt of pain and an explosion followed, obscuring the poison type.

“Nidoking, show them your strength with Megahorn!” The burly pokemon stampeded out of the debris, its head lowering to point its horn towards the bug. The extremity took on a brilliant white glow, growing in size. Ready to deliver a devastating below.

“Heracross, you use Megahorn too!” Ash threw an arm forward, pointing towards the other. Heracross bowed his head as well, his own horn taking on a brilliant white glow, mixing with the red aura surrounding his body. With a call of his name, he launched himself at Nidoking.

The two pokemon clashed in the center of the makeshift battlefield, horns colliding in a furious explosion of might, expression of their raw power dancing around them in currents of air. It was enough to ruffle hair and clothes. Shortly, Heracross pushed Nidoking back, wings buzzing behind him in a show of force.

Disappointed by the lack of victory on Nidoking’s part, Jessie decided to take over. “Nidoqueen, use Superpower!”

Ash noticed the poison type charging towards the fire type. “Flamethrower!”

Despite the billowing flames flowing over her, Nidoqueen continued. Soon, the struggle turned to Infernape grappling with Nidoqueen as he was slid back. The torrent of flames ended as Nidoqueen lifted Infernape and then slammed him down.

“That was actually a pretty good idea!” James chimed. “Nidoking, you use Flamethrower, too!”

“Are you kidding me?!” Ash snapped. They were in a tight spot and he wasn’t about to back down now, not when they were all so close! “Heracross, Hyper Beam!”

There was so much noise: the scraps of Infernape returning to his feet, Nidoqueen’s gurgling snarls, and the all-consuming roar of Nidoqueen’s flamethrower being consumed by and further igniting Heracross’s Hyper Beam.

Ash’s ears were ringing when the blinding white light faded. As his vision steadied and he saw Nidoking still standing, but only barely so, he realized the ringing was not his ears.

“Jessie and James reportin’ in,” Meowth took over, aware the other two might need to speak for the battle. “Uh huh. Yes’sa. Yeah. Okay. Right away.” Clicking off on the headset, the Scratch Cat Pokemon looked up to the duo. “We gotta go. Zager wants us right now.”

“Right now?!” Jessie spat.

James returned Nidoking, not willing to fight right then. “Come on. We’ve got bigger fish to fry.”

And, stunned, Ash could only watch as the trio ran off before letting his backpack slide from his shoulder to fish out medicine. “Man… that was close.”


	8. Hitting the Ground Running!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The intense regiment continues on Mt.Silver! Ash and his pokemon grow stronger, and they even encounter an old, dear friend. Meanwhile, one of Ash's companions finds a new friend of her own!

A hard fought battle against a new-and-improved Team Rocket had proved tiring, for Ash and his pokemon alike. Soon after the trio of thieves had fled, Ash took the opportunity to doze off, falling into a very content slumber. Night soon turned to morning, seeming just about as ordinary as any other day… At least, it did for a little bit.

A body-rattling boom knocked Ash unpleasantly from his slumber, forcing a startled yelp from the adolescent as he jerked awake, only to topple over and land face-first, still constricted by his sleeping bag. He muttered something incoherent, muffled by the earth before pulling himself upright.

Pikachu was quick to voice his complaints, none too happy to be woken in such an unwelcome manner. Never mind that, though, what was that noise? His beady eyes turned toward the cliff side, noting pebbles that fell from the closest heights above them. That was unusual.

“Sorry, buddy. I didn’t wanna wake up like this either. But, I’m sure you heard that, right?” He pulled himself out of the sleeping bag, quickly donning his jacket. Before he could do much more, a couple of Teddiursa came running by, completely ignoring the boy and his pokemon that were just being stirred from slumber. A couple of Ursaring followed, watching over the smaller pokemon as they fled the scene. A few Phanpy followed, scurrying onward.

“Hey, what’s with all the pokemon? Is it breakfast time already?”

Pikachu gave his trainer a deadpan stare, having no words. “Pikapi!” He pointed, trying to bring Ash’s attention toward the heights. More pebbles tumbled over, accompanied by another loud crash. A loud roar could be heard, forcing Ash and Pikachu to cover their ears.

“Man, that’s loud! If it keeps up, I’m gonna get a major headache!” Ash whined, hopping to his feet before donning the rest of his outfit. “Let’s go check it out, Pikachu! Whatever’s going on up there, it can’t be good!” Answered by a cry of agreement from his companion, Ash dashed toward the source of the commotion.

A couple of scaled rocks later, and Ash was crawling over the edge of the nearest elevation, following Pikachu, who’d already made the climb with ease. “There… Now we can find what’s causing all thi-” A flurry of purple rings interrupted the trainer, forcing him to yelp and duck under the assault before scrambling out of harm’s way. Letting out a sigh of relief, he climbed to his feet. “That was a Dark Pulse!” Finally gaining his bearings, he caught sight of the culprit.

A mad Tyranitar stood atop the precipice, crying loudly before slamming its powerful tail into a nearby tree, splitting the bark like a twig. Aipom swung from the branches, making a quick acrobatic escape from the rampaging pokemon. A Donphan had seemed to enter the fray, spinning into a Rollout attack to put its destruction to an end.

Another barrage of dark energy, however, pulverized the ground between them, cutting the pokemon’s attack short.

“That Tyranitar’s really on a rampage!” Ash grimaced, watching the various smaller wild pokemon flee. “Hey! Cut it out! They didn’t do anything to you!”                                          

The Armor pokemon turned its gaze towards the duo, hues doubling at the sight of Ash and his Pikachu. It’d stopped in its tracks, seemingly paralyzed in their wake. Lowering its guard, it seemed to grow docile in Ash’s presence. Still, one couldn’t be too careful in a situation like this.

Ash, of course, wasn’t the type to show that caution. Slowly approaching the large beast, Ash held his hands outward. “Please, Tyranitar. You’re gonna hurt other pokemon like that! I’m sure something’s freaked you out, but you’ve gotta take it easy.” Step by step, he moved closer, intent on soothing the destructive pokemon.

Moving closer, though, only seemed to frighten the pokemon more. It let out a cry of warning, stepping backwards away from the trainer. While hesitant to attack Ash, it was none too happy to get close.

“I’m not gonna hurt ya! If there’s something bugging ya, we want to help!” Ash was joined by a cry of agreement from Pikachu, who clung to his trainer’s shoulder. Again, they stepped forward.

Tyranitar let out a roar, panicking before firing another purple barrage of rings, soaring over the duo’s head. While the Dark Pulse missed, the stray attack collided with overreaching rock, unleashing several boulders that plummeted down toward Ash and Pikachu.

The duo gawked up like a pair of Stantler in headlights, speechless in the face of certain doom. Neither of them wanted to be smashed flat like pancakes! It seemed that was their fate, though, until a blinding beam of light shot over their heads, blowing the falling rocks to smithereens!

Two pairs of dark hues turned toward the source of the ray, leading them to an oddly familiar sight. “It’s another Tyranitar!” Ash gawked, letting out a breath of relief. “We woulda been toast if it hadn’t saved us… Hey, Pikachu! Check it out!”

A healed but noticeable gash upon her side and an expression of maternal kindness upon her face, it was none other than the Tyranitar which mothered the one rampaging now. She recalled Ash, not one to forget the face of the one who returned her precious child to her all those years ago. “Nitar!” she cried, brief calm broken by her attention turning to her fleeing son. “Ty!” she quickly barked to Ash and Pikachu before rushing towards the panicked pokemon.

Cutting off her full grown child with her own mammoth body, Mother Tyranitar barely kept her son from running. She grunted, weight of him heavy against her.

Startled and scared, the Tyranitar belched energy, startling his mother also.

Ash furrowed his brows, walking towards Tyranitar with a tense Pikachu on his shoulders. “Tyranitar… what’s got you so upset, buddy?” However, the moment Tyranitar caught sight of the duo, it whirled.

The thin of its tail caught Ash, sending him flying and rolling across the ground. Pikachu recovered better, landing so as to stand protectively before Ash.

“Pika!” the electric type pleaded.

Then, the sky broke, quite literally. A void of boggling purple and black spread across the sky, letters of some lost language brought to life dancing down. A leader could be determined, speeding to dance around Tyranitar’s head.

Half confused from his heavy landing, Ash could only watch, dazed, as one of the Unown circled around him.

Then, his world was a battle field and he felt proxy to emotions that were not his own. It was all fear and self-doubt. The chanting of dozens of voices filtered through his mind as well.

“Calm him! Calm him! Calm him!” they cried.

“.. The Unown,” Ash mumbled, watching with mild horror as Tyranitar the son was attacked by black figures. He spotted Pikachu likewise looking on with him. “We’ve got to save him again,” the trainer realized. “Let’s go! We did it before, we can do it again!”

A barrage of glowing pellets fired out of the twisted abyss, falling like hail upon Ash, Pikachu, and Tyranitar. The Armor pokemon began to flail wildly, acting in futility to ward off the assault.

“Is that Bullet Seed!?” Ash covered his head with each of his arms, none too happy with the rain of energized seeds raining down upon him. A cry of pain, though, pushed Ash’s pain to the backburner. Tyranitar had roared in protest, attempting to guard itself just the same.

“Tyranitar!” Not hesitating for a moment, Ash lunged for the Armor pokemon, grabbing hold of its spiky shoulders. Hugging to its form, he took the brunt of the attack raining from above. Canines clashed together, a hiss passing Ash’s lips as his back was assaulted in Tyranitar’s place. “I won’t let ‘em hurt ya…! But we’ve gotta fight back! I know you’re strong enough!”

The pokemon gawked at the boy taking his blows, speechless. Its breath hitched in its heavily guarded chest, anxiety fleeting. Once again, Ash was giving his all to save him…

The rain then came to an end, and the pain dulled with it. Exhausted, Ash slid down the pokemon’s hide before standing upright. “That wasn’t fun... “But, things were only just get started.

Tyranitar stepped backward, cowering as three looming shadows hovered over it, along with Ash and Pikachu. The duo turned to face the giants, only to find Team Rocket towering over the three. Each of them wore their usual despicable sneers, leering down upon the Armor pokemon.

Ash’s expression bore disgust. “Oh, great. Now we’re dealing with three _giant_ losers!”

As if the large specter had heard him, Jessie’s hand rose high, heralding a flurry of purple missiles to rain in from above, toxic ooze trailing their paths as they descended.

“That’s Toxic Spikes!” Ash’s face fell, fear building in his gut as they came closer. “Pikachu, Counter Shield!” The electric mouse wasted no time, skidding forward before flipping on his side. Spinning along the rocky anomaly of a surface, Pikachu shrieked before unleashing several wild bolts from his form. Spinning along with the rodent, the electricity began to form a cyclone around the group, crackling as each collided with the spikes. Diffused poison fell around the group in a mist, rendered harmless in the wake of Pikachu’s makeshift barrier.

“Now I get it…!” Sclera going wide, Ash turned towards Pikachu, who now stood upright. “These are attacks from the battle last night! Tyranitar musta overheard it all and gotten scared again! That’s why he was going wild!” He turned back toward the large pokemon, holding a hand out to him. “They’re not gonna hurt you, alright? We won’t let that happen!”

Tyranitar’s eyes followed the trainer, dark orbs trembling. The abstract landscape still left his heart racing, entire form uneased. Though, at least Ash was there… Its large hand reached out to the boy’s, about to show his trust in the ones that’d kept him safe so many times. Hues turned upward, though, catching James’ hand being thrown forward. Accompanying it was a terrible flame, colossal in size and threatening to consume all three of them.

“I know my name is Ash, but I’m not lookin’ to get turned into it!” Ash panicked before quickly regaining his bearings. Throwing a hand forward, he called out. “Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!”

“Chu!!!” Pikachu cried, leaping in the flame’s path. A blinding path of electricity cut through the air, colliding with the scathing flame. Soon enough, electricity won out over fire, driving stray flames off to the side.

Though, the trio hardly had time to rest. A flurry of cold winds and snow barraged the landscape, forcing the group to huddle together. Ash held onto Tyranitar tightly sheltering Pikachu under his arm beneath his jacket. Shuddering in the cold blanket of snow, he persevered through numb fingers and a bitter nose. “Man… No matter what we do, it just keeps coming!” Doing his best to preserve warmth, he looked up to the pokemon. “We’re not gonna make it fighting on our own like this! You’ve gotta help out, Tyranitar! You can do it!”

 _“They’re gonna do it again…! I can’t stop them!”_ A voice echoed from above, bringing two pairs of eyes upward. It sounded quite like one they’d heard years ago, if not a bit deeper.

The pokemon trembled, shielding Ash and Pikachu from incoming snow. Tried as he might, though, Tyranitar cowered under the freezing blanket, petrified.

“I know you can! You’ve gotten stronger, Tyranitar… Ever since you were born, I saw you grow. And you sure as heck have, now! You’ve evolved and everything… I know these guys scare you, but you’re bigger than them!” Dark hues locked with the pokemon’s, brows furrowed.

The onslaught didn’t end, still. A mangled mess of iron outgrowths shot from the sky, coming mere feet of striking Ash and company. Caging them under the barbed mess, they brought attention to three more figures replacing Team Rocket. A short man with a bowl cut, a larger, brutish figure, and a tall man with a sneer. “Those’re the poachers from last time!”

Cowering away from the enclosing steel, Ash was forced up against the pokemon’s natural armor. “Those guys are gone now. They can’t bother you anymore! And neither can Team Rocket. We can fight them too, but you’re strong enough! Please, just give yourself a chance!” Ash pleaded, holding to the larger pokemon. “Pika Pika!” Pikachu joined, shivering under Ash’s jacket.

Large, sharp canines gnashed together, closed eyes quivering. It hated this. It hated its fear of others ruining its life… Of hurting its friends, and family. They couldn’t get away with that!

They wouldn’t. Shut eyes parted to become a determined glare, eyes turning up toward the sky. Large, trunk-like arms shattered steel, breaching the cage around them. Rock-like jaws parted, allowing a brilliant orange glow to grow between sharp fangs. Light drew to a singular point, culminating before spewing from Tyranitar’s maw as a massive Hyper Beam, blowing the wasteland to smithereens. The poachers were engulfed in light, and the entire abstract world with them.

Moments passed; it was difficult to tell just how many, but soon, the light faded, and Ash found himself back in the real world, sitting on the seat of his pants, with Pikachu sitting in his lap. “Uh… What happened? Are we back now?”

The sight of two Tyranitar, accompanied by Mt. Silver’s heights, answered his question. The younger, more distressed one stood closer, looking much more at peace, now. Letting out a content roar, he smiled upon the boy. Finally, everything was as it should be!

Likewise, Ash had found peace in its own. Tears began to sting the boy’s eyes, dripping onto the gravelly surface as he sprinted toward the pokemon, leaping into its arms. “Tyranitar! It’s really you! Man, it’s great to see you again!” He chuckled, absolutely thrilled to be united with his former companion. Reaching to rub away his tears, he smiled up at the pokemon he’d hatched. “You’ve grown a whole lot… Hard to believe you were just a lil’ egg when I got you, huh?”

“Pika, Pikachu!” Pikachu cheered, leaping up to stand on the pokemon’s spiky shoulder.

Tyranitar’s battle-scarred mother let out a happy cry of her own, thanking Ash and Pikachu in her own way. Seeing your own child on a frightened rampage was horrid, to say the least. Once more, they’d proven themselves reliable.

The son himself spoke next, speaking in intelligible roars. Unlike before, though, he seemed happy as ever. His past fears of the terrible trios had been once more put to rest.

“I guess you’re really feeling better now, huh?” Backing off just a bit, Ash smiled. Though, he couldn’t quite understand what was being said. Scratching his cheek, he cocked his head.

As if on cue, one of the floating characters crashed into the back of Ash’s head, drawing a yelp as the latter was knocked to his knees. It was an all-to-familiar face - the “g” Unown they’d met some years ago.

“Oww…” Ash whined, noting that his mind felt rather fuzzy. Much like Misty had complained when she’d befallen a similar fate. With the pain came a strange, unspoken knowledge. “Hey, I get it now… You wanna come with us, Tyranitar? To get even stronger, so you can protect yourself and your friends?” Ash beamed, climbing to his feet once more.

“Gahr!” The pokemon growled, forming as much of a smile as he could. Smiling sadly, his mother nodded in agreement. As much as she loved spending time with her son, it’d been a good few years since he was returned. That, and it might be for the best to let him spread his proverbial wings. She approved his decision.

“And you think it’d be good for him to live his own life, right? That must be really hard for you. But I promise I’ll take great care of… Nah. We’ll all take great care of each other! Right?”

“Pika Pika!” Pikachu cried in agreement, waving his paw from atop the Armor pokemon.

“Gah!” Tyranitar raised his arm as well, also on board.

Now becoming equally aware that this was goodbye, Tyranitar turned back towards his mother. Approaching her, he entered a final embrace. The latter’s tail coiled around, comforting the son.

None too soon, it seemed, as tears began to fall from the child’s eyes. Nonetheless, it smiled, it made a wordless promise to stay safe. Surely, with Ash’s company, everything would be alright!

“Hey, don’t worry. I’ll have to stop by again sooner or later, so you guys can catch up!” Ash flashed a thumbs up to the duo, close to becoming misty-eyed himself. Holding back a quivering lower lip, he earned the duo’s consolation before reaching for a pokeball. “Alright… Pokeball, go!” In his typical fashion, Ash tossed a pokeball forward, enveloping his old companion in a red flash of light. The pokeball landed on solid ground, beginning to wobble.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

_Ping!_

Dashing to grab the sphere, Ash righted himself before holding the pokeball up high, grinning from ear to ear in his usual trademark pose. “Alright! I just caught… Tyranitar!”

“Pi-Pikachu!”

And so, with a heart-stopping, tear-jerking reunion, Ash has renewed his bonds with yet another one of his pokemon. Tyranitar’s fears have been put to rest once again, and his confidence has built just that much more! Managing a difficult goodbye, Ash has added yet another trusty teammate to his roster, and so, has come just one step closer to becoming a Pokemon Master!  
  


* * *

 

  
After the zenith of the rock’s lazy arc up was reached, it tumbled down, landing soundlessly in the waiting vine. Bulbasaur dropped the pebble as quickly as the grass type had caught it, catching another and then another. Pikachu let out delighted squeals, keeping count on the little poison type’s progress. Ash, meanwhile, kept an enthusiastic smile on his face, in awe of Bulbasaur’s dexterity.

“Man, you know, if you ever decided you wanted to go into show business, I think you’d have a real--HEY!”

Ash only saw it after it happened, but a Linoone had his backpack and was making a hasty retreat.

“Get back here!” he snapped, beginning to running after the thief. Pikachu and Bulbasaur quickly joined in the chase. Soon, they entered a particularly lush section of the forest. The chase ended as Linoone dropped Ash’s backpack in front of a Golduck. Off to the side, a Natu watched eerily.

Raising his fist and stomping a foot forward, Ash was already ready to scrap. “Give me my bag!”

“Saur,” the grass type instructed, raising a vine to pat Ash’s shoulder. It looked up, giving Ash a very intent glance.

The trainer calmed before frowning. “... you’re gonna take care of it, then?”

“Bul.”

“...okay.”

As Bulbasaur stepped forward, making its intentions to battle for the backpack clear, the Golduck jerked its head towards the Natu.

The little flying type flapped its wings, taking off to hit Bulbasaur with a Peck attack. At least, that was the intention.

“Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf!”

Grinning, the little grass type did a bit more. It had been a while since Ash had seen it in action and it had learned a new trick. “Saur!” it cried before a flurry of leaves blinded Natu. When the bird struck where its target had been, there was instead an empty space.

Seeing that the Bulbasaur had escaped due to Natu’s temporary lack of sight, Linoone frowned before using Rototiller to get under the ground, planning a surprise attack. Bulbasaur was taken off guard, but something about the change in soil texture on the turf made it feel more secure. All the same, the Slash attack from the Linoone took Bulbasaur by surprise, earning a cry of pain.

“Vine Whip!” Ash commanded, already impressed by what it had done to the Natu. Where had it figured out to use its leaves like that? Maybe after dealing with all the pokemon on the ranch it had learned to do what it had to?

Obedient but clever, Bulbasaur picked Linoone up, tossing it at the just recovering Natu.

“Right… they’ve got to avoid getting hurt or hurting each other, but Bulbasaur can go nuts like this,” Ash realized, finding justification for why Bulbasaur wanted to handle this on its own. “Nice job, Bulbasaur!”

The Golduck’s patience ran out. It lifted a webbed hand, using Disable. Only Bulbasaur’s shocked expression alerted Ash to a move even being used. He brought out his Pokedex, quickly registering the move and then grunting in frustration. Well, that effectively crippled them for a bit. Didn’t it?

Golduck, however, had no time to waste as it headed straight for Bulbasaur with an Aqua Jet. At the same time, Linoone rushed towards Bulbasaur again.

“Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf!” Ash commanded, hoping perhaps Bulbasaur could outpace the two if they were blinded once more.

The grass type waited a moment, seeing what the Natu would do. Luckily, it played right into Bulbasaur’s hopes. As a Confuse Ray headed its way, it finally used Razor Leaf. The Golduck adjusted its movements, trying to pursue as leaves obscured its vision. It was no good, though. The Confuse Ray struck the water type, blurring its vision. It lashed out blindly… striking the Linoone.

“Lin!” it cried out, confused as to why its boss hit it.

“... Duck?” it inquired after realizing who it hit. “Gol!” Seeing red, the Confuse Ray seemed to have unlocked extra psychic potential in the Golduck. As it used Confusion, Bulbasaur was unable to dodge. Natu was quick to follow in with a Peck as Bulbasaur reeled, barely avoiding a nasty headache but suffering a direct blow from the bird. Linoone brought in a third blow, Slashing the grass type.

“Oh, man, Bulbasaur isn’t gonna last much longer,” Ash realized. “Bulbasaur, use Leech Seed… on Natu!”

The bird recognized its name and looked towards Ash, making a perfect opening for Bulbasaur to cast its seeds upon the bird’s back. As it flapped its wings and Teleported away in blind panic, the grass type already felt relief in the stolen energy entering its body.

Linoone moved in again, hoping to properly execute Play Rough. Bulbasaur tried to dodge, but was simply unable. Thankfully, Golduck was too confused at the moment to do much more than fall rather painfully onto its face.

Desperation mounting, Ash called out for the big guns. “Bulbasaur, let’s try Solar Beam!”

Bulbasaur’s bulb began to glow, charging.

In the meantime, Linoone was dancing around its leader, attempting to shake the Golduck out of its confusion. It was all for naught, as by the time the Golduck was aware of the world, a beam of photo-energy was headed straight for the duo. As the blinding beam faded, a second, pink, energy cascaded towards Bulbasaur.

Natu’s Psychic sent Bulbasaur reeling. Three of the four combatants struggled to return to their feet… but Bulbasaur had an edge; Natu continued to feed its energy into the enemy. So, only Golduck and Linoone failed to remain on their feet.

“Let’s see if Vine Whip’s active yet,” Ash gambled, nodding to Bulbasaur.

Sure enough, a vine was sent sailing towards Natu, snatching it up. The Bulbasaur tossed it roughly towards its peers. There the three thieves lay unconscious.

“Saur!” Bulbasaur cheered, supplying Ash with his backpack.

The trainer grinned. “Aw, thanks! You’re the best!”

“Pika!” the electric type agreed.  
  


* * *

  
“Awesome job, Bayleef! I can tell you’re really getting a lot stronger!” Ash applauded, strolling along through yet another chilly cavern after a long day of training. Alongside him were Pikachu and Bayleef, who was marked with a number of scratches, huffing to regain its breath.

Even in her tired state, though, the grass type seemed to positively glow at the praise, a bounce in her step forming when it was known that her hard work was worthwhile. Especially in Ash’s eyes. “Bay! Bay!” Despite the reflexive urge to nuzzle against her trainer, Bayleef opted to continue walking, tired and eager to return to their camp site. Today had been rather tiring.

The low batting of wings and high-pitched chatter soon caught the trio’s notice, their eyes turning toward the mouth to one of the more narrow parts of the cave. A number of figures swooped out of the shadows, circling the group. Shrieks and swipes urged them all to take a more defensive posture, ducking under vicious assaults before finally getting a good look at their assailants. “It’s a bunch of Crobat!” Ash blurted, swinging his backpack off his shoulder to wave it in the face of a few, forcing them to make further distance between themselves and the trainer. “We’ve gotta fight ‘em off! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt! And Bayleef, you use Razor Leaf!”

“Pika!” Pikachu shrieked, throwing his arms out as a brilliant ray launched from his body. Several of the Crobat were electrocuted by the outpour of volts, flapping violently to make distance between themselves and the mouse. That was, ones that hadn’t already fallen unconscious.

“Bayleef! Bay!” The grass type launched a flurry of sharp leaves from the large growth atop her head. A number of the poisonous bats were cut by the assault, letting out displeased cry before assaulting Bayleef herself. Multiple Wing Attacks assaulted her, earning a cry of pain.

“Bayleef! One of ‘em’s coming in close! Hit it with a Headbutt!” Ash warned, swatting away what he could. Though, he was dealing with some trouble himself, suffering an Air Slash attack that knocked the wind out of him. Floored by the pressure, Ash let out a cough, doing his best to regain his bearings. By time he’d come to, a single bat was coming right toward him, leaving him speechless. Staring into the face of his attacker, Ash found himself helpless.

That was, if not for a bolt of lightning that struck out before him, toasting the violent pokemon. A sigh of relief left Ash’s lungs, which had been denied oxygen in the terrifying moment prior. “Thanks a lot, Pikachu. I owe you one! Now, keep your eyes peeled! They’re not done, yet!”

The quadruped took Ash’s advice, finding her face to face with one that looked ready to sink its fangs into her. Gritting her teeth, Bayleef threw her head forward, giving the Crobat a bit more of a bite than it could chew. Sent reeling by a fierce Headbutt, the pokemon crashed into the cave wall, falling unconscious.

“I think we’ve got ‘em on the ropes, guys! Keep it up!” Ash called out, announcing their victory. Perhaps a moment too soon. The few remaining Crobat hung above, pulling back from the three before parting their mouths, spewing several sprays of Toxic goo toward their intended prey.

A collective cry could be heard from all three. Ash, Pikachu, and Bayleef had been doused in poison, each hissing from the unpleasant sting. Ash sat up, ignoring the pain running through his arm, where the goo had landed. “This is getting bad… Pikachu, ward ‘em off, with Thunder!”

“Pikachu!” Pikachu unleashed his brilliant wrath upon the swarm, firing off a powerful stream of electricity that rendered each of the Crobat unconscious. Soon, he collapsed, lying beside his trainer.

“Man, this stings… Are you guys alright?” He looked between each of his pokemon, who nodded. Though, it was unconvincing. They had gone blue in the face, and it was pretty likely that he had as well. Beginning to feel light-headed, he pulled his backpack off to rummage through it. Stuffing a hand into every pocket he had, the boy’s queasy stomach dropped. “We… Don’t have any Pecha berries. I think we’re out of Antidotes, too! Oh, man… That’s no good.” He coughed, feeling none too good from the seeping poison that had fallen upon his skin. “I… Guess I’m not as tough as a pokemon is. You guys’re handling that poison better than me, right?”

That was all that mattered, really, to him. As long as his pokemon were safe, then his primary concern was put to rest. Still, that didn’t stop his body from overheating, or his breathing from becoming heavy. Sturdy as Ash was, he was susceptible just like any other human being.

“Pikapi!” Feeling none too good himself, he rushed over to his trainer, nudging his shoulder. He couldn’t have something happen to him here… They’d come so far together. “Pikachu!”

“Don’t worry about me, buddy..! I just need to make sure you guys are alright. We’ve gotta get you guys back to the pokemon center!” The ailing trainer pushed himself to his feet, trudging toward the light at the end of the tunnel. “As soon as we get there… Nurse Joy’ll fix you guys right up!” Stubborn as he was, though, weakening limbs forced him to lean against the cave wall. “Just… Gotta… Keep… Moving!”

It was clear as day that Ash wasn’t going anywhere. Bayleef whined, making her way over to support her trainer. “Bay! Bay!” Red orbs quivered, worry building over his condition. She was here to protect him. His pokemon. She should’ve protected him from that attack. “Leef!” She cried, buckling under another rush of poison. Vision growing weary, she wasn’t sure they’d make it far at this rate. Would they wither here? Fall victim to the harsh elements?

Her eyes had shut tight. She had to protect Ash… And Pikachu, too. If she didn’t do something now, they were probably done for.

A brilliant glow caught Ash’s attention, weary eyes turning to the pokemon supporting him. Black orbs went wide, realization dawning on the trailer. “Bayleef… No way! You’re…!” The Leaf pokemon had begun to grow before his very eyes. Barely his size before, the pokemon had begun to dwarf him, obscured by shining light. A single leaf atop her head split into two antennae, and tiny beads around her neck blossomed into large, brilliant pink petals. The light finally faded away, revealing a fully evolved Meganium.

Single minded as always, Ash shuffled through his coat pocket, withdrawing his Pokedex.

“Meganium: The Herb pokemon. Its breath has the fantastic ability to revive dead plants and flowers.”

“Ganium!” The fully evolved pokemon cried, unleashing a brilliant pink mist from her petals. A soothing scent enveloped Ash and Pikachu, soothing the pain that plagued them. Toxins faded from their skin, and Ash soon found it far easier to breathe. The stream of pleasant chemicals continued until Ash’s muscles loosened, and Pikachu’s as well. Breathing in the last of her own production, Meganium felt her own ailment fade as well. Though, she wouldn’t be satisfied until she was sure the others were well. “Meganium?” She nudged Ash’s shoulder with her head.

Ash let out a breath of relief, a smile spreading across his features when it was evident the pain was gone. “Hey, I feel better now! Meganium, that was great!” This time, he was the one to initiate contact, wrapping his arms around the larger pokemon’s neck. “You evolved just to protect us, didn’t ya? We really owe you one!” He laughed, finding himself victim to another of its affectionate tackles. “Hey, take it easy! You’re a lot heavier now! Aha!”

“Pika, Pikachu!” Feeling rejuvenated himself, the mouse hopped atop Meganium’s back.

“I guess we should head back now. We can’t risk something like that happening again, huh?” Ash climbed to his feet, turning back toward their intended path. As things always were when Ash Ketchum was around, the group had avoided yet another scrape with certain doom. And, as always, they would push beyond that danger to keep moving forward!  


* * *

 

  
The black-haired trainer grinned, Pikachu awaiting his choice for battlers. “Quilava, Muk, I choose you!”

The fiery young Johto-native span as it was released, turning to face its opponent. The flames along his shoulders burned lowly and its crimson eyes shined with glee. Likewise, upon materializing from the pokeball’s red beam, Muk oozed into position, expression more content but all the same clearly pleased with what was to happen. Each knew their trainer well enough to expect this to end in a battle.

“Quilava, use Aerial Ace! Muk, you try to counter with Body Slam!”

Dashing forward, a whirling wind energy encased Quilava. However, it was overwhelmed by Muk’s Body Slam, a virtual typhoon of noxious sludge washing over the little fire type. Thankfully, its Aerial Ace move protected it and its flames from being doused by the partially liquid matter of Muk, but the impact all the same knocked the breath out of Quilava.

“Hm… Quilava, try Eruption! Muk, you use Sludge Bomb!”

“Quiii LAVA!”

Ash realized that perhaps he should take several steps back from the battle field. Seating himself on a cluster of frosty rocks, he watched as the earth under Quilava and Muk rumbled and then parted, artificial--and thus inferior yet still dangerous--lava bubbled to the surface. Muk fired off a Sludge Bomb as it tried in vain to avoid the searing heat of Quilava’s attack. Quilava, however, had better luck, leaping to another jagged rock amidst its cool Eruption attack. But, when the sludge landed, it was cooked by the residual heat.

Needless the say, the smell was awful.

“Oh man!” Ash whined, covering his nose with a hand. Pikachu’s eyes were watering. It looked around before turning tail, using Ash as a launching pad before scrambling further away from the field, clearly not in the mood to choke on whatever noxious odor that was. “Pikachu, you little traitor! What happened to sticking through anything together?!”

“Pikapi pikachu!” the electric type sheepishly explained, all the while not moving from the top of the tree it’d taken refuge in. That scent wasn’t anything to play with.

All the while, poor Quilava looked on the verge of retching thanks to the stench. As the lava finally cooled and hardened, returning the field to relative normalcy, the scent slowly but surely died down.

All the same, everyone but Muk--who was blessed enough to not be able to smell this--remained on guard, breathing hesitantly.

Ash barely dared to breath, but knew he had to call out the next set of attacks. Raising his shirt collar to cover his nose, he did so. “Muk, use Poison Gas! Quilava, use Flame Wheel!”

Ripping across the still soft and ashy laden earth, Quilava made a hasty path towards Muk. The terrible stench of burnt poison once again permeated the air, but Quilava was spared being poisoned. Muk let out a distraught squeal at being hit by the Flame Wheel.

The trainer furrowed his brows, realizing how the heat affected the poison. Quilava was obviously still reeling from the attack, but the sheer luck of not yet having been poisoned… it got him to wondering. “We’ll have to keep trying that.” His stomach gurgling miserably. “...later. I need to end this before someone gets sick. Quilava, use Flamethrower! Muk, try to dodge and use Sludge Bomb!”

Muk succeeded quite easily. Quilava might not have had a status issue, but the poor creature looked green around the gills. Muk’s Sludge Bomb came down heavily on the exhausted fire type, poisoning him.

“Aerial Ace!” Ash called before continuing, “Body Slam!”

Poisoned and nauseated, Quilava’s Aerial Ace was actually something that Muk could dodge now. Being Body Slammed seemed to be more than Quilava could handle. The fire type stood after taking the attack, shaking and staring at the ground. Muk looked a bit concerned, actually.

Body and patience snapping, Ash called the match. Quilava wasn’t knocked out, but he was to his breaking point. Muk clearly had the advantage. “Alright, good work guys! Muk wins, let’s head to somewhere that doesn’t stink!” he explained in a hurry, recalling both pokemon. He turned towards his runaway partner. “Pikachu! Let’s get out of here!”

The electric type led the way, going upwind of the noxious fumes. “Pikapi pi chu.” Ash had the right idea, he decided.  


* * *

 

  
Sixteen hooves shifted, some pawing at the earth in anticipation. Across the way, a set of clawed feet planted themselves firmly on the ground, awaiting orders with a more relaxed attitude. The trainer looked between the two teams. It was time to give Snorlax a proper workout and it had been some time since he used his Tauros herd.

“Snorlax! Start us off with Ice Punch!”

The big normal type lumbered forward. The herd scattered, only one of the four being caught in the attack and being sent skidding.

“Horn attack, Tauros!”

The remaining three turned, charging at the goliath with all of their strength.

“Protect, Snorlax!”

Though tricky, the big cat-like pokemon was able to successfully block all three Horn Attacks. Its Protect shields looked on the verge of breaking, though.

“Hm. Tauros, Double Team!”

The herd obeyed, the four becoming twelve. Two thirds of the present Tauros were mere illusions, but would Snorlax be able to tell which were which? Time to find out!

“Body Slam!”

While the Tauros duo that Snorlax attempted to Body Slam proved to be false targets, the quake was enough to betray the locations of which Tauros are real and which were illusions. The real Tauros buckled under the tremors while the copies stood still.

“Hm… let’s try Fissure, Tauros!”

The illusions and true Tauros alike slammed down their hooves. The combined power of their Fissures was devastating. Snorlax fell down, breathing heavily.

“Rest, Snorlax!”

That order needn’t ever be told twice. The pokemon happily slipped into sleep, rapidly recovering energy.

“Alrighty, guys, now you try Horn Attack, again!” Ash instructed. However, he only counted three Tauros hitting Snorlax. One stood off--that was the one he typically used. A bit spunkier than the rest, it had an excellent personality for battling. So, Ash couldn’t figure out why it was lingering back--was it embarrassed? Then, his Pokedex went off.

“New move obtained. Tauros has learned Fire Blast,” Dexter explained.

“Oh!” Ash smirked, turning to see the distraught expressions of the other Tauros upon realizing their Horn Attacks did only minimum damage to Snorlax and that the pokemon had yet to awaken. “Fine, then. Let’s try Fire Blast, big guy!”

Realizing Ash was referring to him, the unofficial lead Tauros perked up, his momentary pouting forgotten. He bellowed, tossing his mane before running at Snorlax, spitting a huge burst of flame.

The Fire Blast definitely worked their opponent up.

“Snor!” the normal type cried out, lambasted with a brilliant stream of hot flames.

“Use Ice Punch, Snorlax!”

An unfortunate Tauros was caught up in the hit and sent skidding, frozen over by the secondary effect of Ice Punch. It was down for the count.

“Big guy, you hang back! You two, use Take Down!” Ash had a plan. Divide and conquer… but the being conquered would be Snorlax!

Both of the bull pokemon collided with Snorlax, each of the three pokemon reeling from the attack. Snorlax stumbled back, and the attacking pokemon shook their heads, doing their best to regain their composure after suffering recoil damage.

“Body Slam!”

The sleepy pokemon’s titanic weight came down on one of the recovering Tauros, knocking it unconscious under the weight. Only two Tauros remained.

“Double Team!” Ash called out.

The two Tauros kept moving, galloping as well as bovine could before being joined by a slew of mirror images.

“Ice Punch!” Unfortunately for Snorlax, not a single hit landed. Ash felt the end drawing near and grew excited. This match was certainly testing boundaries… and now it was time to try again. “Okay, Fire Blast! Snorlax, use Protect!”

A furious inferno was shot from Tauros’ nostrils, eager to barrage the rotund pokemon once more.  A protective barrier, though, doused the flame.

“Now, you use Fissure!” Ash ordered the non-leader Tauros.

The expression of near betrayal on Snorlax’s face was almost painful for Ash, but seeing the strategy work--knowing Protect wouldn’t be able to save the cornered pokemon--made him proud as well. He’d make up for it by continuing to train with Snorlax, but seeing that the Tauros herd had a new move among them and that their teamwork was great!

“Good work, pardner!” Ash joked, taking on a twangy accent as he ruffled the mane on the leader Tauros.

He, the other Tauros, and Pikachu all exchanged silent glances, clearly unimpressed with Ash’s sense of humor.  
  


* * *

 

  
“Take Down!” Fists balled excitedly, the trainer watched as Donphan charged at Torterra, squat body moving with unfitting yet pleasing speed. “Torterra, you use Energy Ball!” Likewise obedient, the huge grass type blasted a bubble of green energy towards Donphan, damaging the other pokemon, but by no means halting its assault. All the same, thanks to the mammoth size of the Continent Pokemon, Torterra did not budge from the Take Down, despite feeling some degree of pain from the sheer force... Donphan reeled back, recoiling from its all-out attack.

“Torterra, Rock Climb!” As the grass type obeyed, smashing trunk-like limbs into the ground below. Sharp claws tore into the ground, carving a path towards Donphan with a virtual wave of uprooted earth, and Ash called out a second attack. “Donphan, Defense Curl!” Tossed around by the cascading dirt, thanks to Defense Curl, Donphan wasn’t as damaged as he could have been.

“Alright… time for Rollout, Donphan!” On cue, the tight-tucked ground type began spinning over the settled yet loose earth, headed straight for Torterra. “Now, Torterra, you use Leaf Storm!” The barrage of leaves collided with the tusked titan, sending many brilliant shreds spraying every which way in the wake of the spinning pair of tusks. The collision slowed, but did not stop Donphan, whose contact with Torterra’s hard shell produced a loud cracking sound.

Ash paused, squinting as he made sure that Torterra wasn’t injured beyond typical battle bruises. Seeing that he hadn’t, Ash smirked. Time to see how long Torterra could last.

“Torterra, rest up with Synthesis! Donphan, keep using Rollout!”

Particles of sunshine snuck through the greying clouds above the battlefield, basking the Continent pokemon in their rejuvenative glory. The glittering, regenerating Torterra took Donphan’s blow. Clearly irritated, the big grass type nonetheless seemed more content than before the preceding blow.

But, Rollout was gaining power.

“Energy Ball!”

It blasted Donphan, bursting in a cascading shower of photosynthetic energy. Donphan let out a grunt, but once more bounced off Torterra--this time, moving the giant!

“Synthesis!”

Donphan’s expression of anger at Ash’s betrayal told him it was time to give the little elephant some slack. “Hyper Beam.”

A brilliant sun-like sphere built between Donphan’s tusks, soon turning to pure destructive force.

Just as Torterra was once again restored to full power, the would-be starter was blasted with a full on burst of raw power. When the smoke settled, Donphan was disappointed--Torterra stood, debris rolling off its body and a smirk upon its maw.

“Dang. This is gonna end poorly for Donphan, he’s still tired… but Torterra, I need you to use Leaf Storm!”

Once again, the look of betrayal came down upon Ash from Donphan’s direction as the flurry of leaves hid and eventually overtook the creature. When they cleared, he was knocked out.

“Well, you guys did great!” Ash praised, walking over to heal Donphan. Torterra cockily used Synthesis again, point made. The former grunted, brushing dust off its form with a swing of its trunk.

“You’re both sturdier than ever! Guess we have to just keep working harder, huh?”  
  


* * *

  
After spending plenty of time up around Mt. Silver’s heights, one would probably think that Ash would have adjusted to the bitter climate. However, nothing could have prepared him for the blizzards that pulverized the snowy caps. “Ah, man… I think that’s enough for today, Glalie! Don’t ya think we should head back now?” Ash suggested through chattering teeth, hugging both of his arms to his chest. Perhaps wearing a vest and t-shirt up toward the top of chilling mountain wasn’t the best idea, but it was a bit late to worry about that.

“Glal, Glalie!” The Face pokemon chattered, floating through the snowfall. While it enjoyed the climate a great deal, letting something happen to Ash was out of the question. Hovering towards his trainer, he began to follow the boy back towards the mountain’s lower slopes.

Trailing not far behind was an unfamiliar figure. Curiosity ebbed in her heart as the Misdreavus followed the trainer and his pokemon companions. Finally, she worked up her courage to float past Glalie to stop in front of him, frantically chattering. “Mis mis! Dreavus mis! Drea!”

Shaking in a vain attempt to warm himself at this point, Ash turned to the ghost type. “H-Hey, k-knock it off! We’re tryna g-g-get down! ‘Nd get w-warm!” the trainer chattered, teeth actually clacking, rather than his mouth going off rapid fire. Still, the Misdreavus didn’t seem ready to back down so Ash let out a groan. “F-Fine! Glalie, use D-Double Team!”

The Misdreavus happily whirled away as Glalie obeyed, fluttering her lashes in what had to be the happiest Mean Look Ash had seen in a while. She was certainly excited about this match. In any case, the eerie gaze entrapped Glalie, forbidding him from fleeing the battle.

“Icy Wind, Glalie!” Ash bellowed, realizing miserably that his nose was starting to act up. He sniffled.

Misdreavus let out a shiver after the chilling wind hit, though it wasn’t all that different from the hail they fought in. She tried her own Psybeam, but--

“Dohge!” Great, now his voice sounded weird. At least Glalie obeyed. This battle was definitely going in their favor… how young was this Misdreavus? It was probably really inexperienced.

Clearly striving to keep up with her opponent, Misdreavus used Power Gem.

“Ithe beam!”

A brilliant orb flickered between Glalie’s demonic horns, spraying forward a sickly blue beam of freezing energy. The ray clashed with Misdreavus’ own attack, soon overpowering it.

Growing desperate, she summoned a Shadow Ball. The sickly orb of black and purple energy struck Glalie, doing enough damage to satisfy the upstart ghost type.

“Shatho ball?” Ash inquired. He started sniffing again. “Ah, achoo! Achoo!”

Glalie looked back, confused. Was… he saying to attack?! Glalie panicked. Could he learn Shadow Ball!? He could try! The ice type concentrated, trying desperately trying to figure out how to make his own Shadow Ball. Suddenly, a black sphere formed in before him. Joy flowed through Glalie as it struck Misdreavus, knocking the other pokemon out.

Ash’s jaw dropped. “You useth’d Shatho Ball!” he croaked. “How’d you even…?! Neverminth, leths heal Misthreavus.”

A potion later and she was jubilantly awake, singing her praises for the battle and insisting that Ash and Glalie follow her with a bounce in her step. Or, whatever counted as a step for a levitating ghost. Soon enough, a refuge from the freezing weather was found in a small cavern that sat bordering the mountain’s snowy caps. Ash wasted no time in finding refuge there.

Needless to say, the little warm cave Misdreavus led them into was great for Ash to recover in and for them to wait out the storm in. Pikachu had no complaints either, cozying into Ash’s lap.

“There must be a powerful bunch of fire types in this cave somewhere to heat it like this,” The trainer considered. Maybe he’d eventually run into them! He had a few water types he wanted to train, anyway.  
  


* * *

 

  
The bright sun over Hoenn shined down on Dawn and Piplup. The coordinator offered her water bottle to the little starter, knowing he must be as tired as she was after their modeling session. He’d done wonderfully, though. He looked absolutely charming in all that red, yellow, and--

White.

Dawn froze, eyes steadied on the Absol in the middle of the dirt path before her. If she didn’t know any better, judging by the familiar way its rich red eyes stared her down, it was the same one from before.

She must have stood there, stock still, for some time, because the dark type stepped towards her. It stood just before her.

Piplup chirped, wriggling out of Dawn’s arms.

She realized what was going on. “You… want to battle?” The Absol seemed to come to life, darting away far enough for there to be room for a battle field. The coordinator grinned. “Alright, then! You’re speaking my language!” she enthused. “Piplup, use Headbutt!”

The Absol sidestepped Piplup, taking advantage of its Detect move. As the penguin landed on the ground, the dark type’s eyes glowed briefly. Its Future Sight attack would land--but not yet.

“Hm… let’s try Hydro Pump, Piplup!” Dawn instructed, deciding to take advantage of the short range.

Piplup parted his beak, letting out a high-pitched squeal before spewing a powerful jet of water towards the Disaster pokemon. Absol was pushed back by Piplup’s attack. All the same, the soaked pokemon rushed forward. She knocked Piplup back with her Night Slash attack. Despite refusing thus far to evolve, Piplup seemed to be much more powerful than the Absol… but it wasn’t giving up.

“Drill Peck!” The coordinator was growing excited, thrilled by the way that her starter insisted on going-all out against the larger opponent and intrigued by the way Absol’s solemn demeanor. Piplup trotted forward on his stubby little legs, his beak shining before growing substantially.

However, Future Sight hit just as Piplup was running towards Absol, softening the blow of Piplup’s Drill Peck. Absol let out a cry of pain, the powerful flying type attack leaving a nasty bruise under the dark type’s thick fur. The cry of pain turned into a yowling, haunting melody.

“... That’s Perish Song!” Dawn realized with a jolting start. They had to end this quickly. “Ice Beam!” Piplup followed up quickly, letting out a cry as flickers of cold energy spewed from his mouth.

No good. The Absol dodged with Detect once more.

Dawn frowned, realizing their time was ticking down. “Headbutt!”

Piplup’s Headbutt met with Absol’s Night Slash, each attack struggling to overpower the other. However, in pressing back and forth--it was surprising how powerful little Piplup really was!--their Perish Song count came to a close.

Like puppets whose strings were suddenly cut, both pokemon fell.

“...” Furrowing her brows, the coordinator walked over, getting out potions.

Piplup awoke first, chirping indignantly as he realized how the battle ended. Once the Absol woke up, it did not fully rise. Instead, it continued to lay on the ground, head lifted and legs splayed, looking towards the coordinator.

Realization struck her. “Oh! Do… do you want to join us?!” A meek head nod answered her. She got out a pokeball, gently tapping it to Absol’s head. Once it stopped shaking in her hand, she giddily twirled. “Haha, I caught an Absol!” she cheered. She released the new partner pokemon while getting out her pokedex. “Well, you’re certainly a mysterious… girl? Girl.”

The dark type let out a sound that might have passed as a snort.


	9. Through the Ire and the Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash continues his difficult training at Mt.Silver, cycling through his roster of pokemon to give them all the chance to pump up. But, he hasn't yet encountered the greatest challenge of the snowy peaks! A legendary challenger awaits Ash and Pikachu.

Barely dusted with a layer of soot, Ash’s faded blue sleeping bag was nestled flush to Torkoal’s huge, hot hide. Along with the trainer himself, Pikachu also warmed himself. The chill of the ice storm the previous evening hadn’t reached them under the tangled canopy of trees and insulation of trees. Safe and warm in the midst of the thicket, the trio slept soundly.

However, the dry depths of this forgotten grove could only last so long.

At first confusing it with the smell of a fire place, Ash jolted to wakefulness as he realized the crackle accompanying the scent had no business being that real. Half asleep but fully panicked, the boy quickly assessed the situation. Torkoal’s shell’s openings had caught fire to a dead branch on one of the bushes and if Ash didn’t do anything it would probably run through the grove before the crust of ice outside of it could melt and quench the flames.

“Squirtle, I choose you!” Ash called as Pikachu and Torkoal both awoke. The little electric type dragged Ash’s sleeping bag away from the flames as Torkoal looked on, clearly embarrassed. “Squirtle, put out that fire with water gun!”

“Squir!” the former squad member cried before doing such. Soon, only a damp and blackened spot on the bush remained as evidence to the trainer’s folly.

Grinning, the trainer patted the water type’s head. “Great job, Squirtle!” Realizing this might have made the fire type feel bad, Ash walked over to pat him as well. “Thank you for keeping us warm! I’m a lil’ afraid to think of what might have happened if you weren’t here, haha…”

Clearly pleased with his reminder of his good work, Torkoal let out a short burst of smoke and a smile. “Tor!”

“Well, we came in here so we wouldn’t get turned into ice cubes with the storm last night,” Ash mused, putting his sleeping bag away. “But, I guess we should head back to the Pokemon Center to get a weather update and maybe a warm meal… Oh yeah! Here’s breakfast! I’ll give everyone else theirs when we’re all at the Center!” Ash assured, handing out pokechow to those present.

After the meal was squared away, the foursome exited the thicket. The landscape further up the mountain glistened with a thick layer of ice from the storm whereas the lower slopes looked dry in certain parts! The weather up here was weird.

Still, as they crossed a particularly sandy valley--only a sloping, low hill stood between them and the Center now, Ash knew--Ash couldn’t help but pause to look at the river which marked their trail. It was slushed; it must be half-frozen up stream.

“Man… let’s have a battle to warm up!” the trainer encouraged. The weather was more tolerable here. The air had a nip to it, but it wasn’t the wet, miserable cold they’d escaped from previously.

Torkoal let out a huff, content with this decision. Squirtle put his hands on what might pass for hips, cockily nodding.

“Alright! Then, Torkoal, start off with Iron Defense! Squirtle, you use Water Gun!”

Tensing, Torkoal was pleasantly surprised to feel that the water didn’t soak him quite as thoroughly thanks to the Iron Defense. However, Squirtle felt slighted. Though the damage was considerable given their typings, the look of relief on Torkoal’s face--as if Squirtle wasn’t serving up as well as he should have--put him in better form.

No slacking off, the water type mused.

“Great!” Ash cheered, scratching Pikachu under his chin from where the electric type perched on the trainer’s shoulder. “Now, Squirtle, you use Hydro Pump--”

The water type wasted no time, prompting Ash to quickly yell out his remaining attack.

“--and Torkoal, use Heat Wave!”

While the Heat Wave did steam off some of the Hydro Pump, what remained was capable of sending Torkoal sliding backwards, knees knocking and looking positively waterlogged. Squirtle looked miffed, discomforted by the sudden heat but not altogether too heavily damaged.

“Torkoal, use Body Slam! Squirtle, you use Skull Bash!”

As Torkoal ran at Squirtle, the blue pokemon pulled into its shell, gathering energy to fully smash its head into the other. Unfortunately for the smaller shelled reptile, the timing for Torkoal’s Body Slam leap coincided with the time Squirtle decided to use Skull Bash. The result was jarring for the smaller pokemon.

When Torkoal backed off, Squirtle remained clutching its head.

“Squirtle! You alright out there?!”

“Squir… squirtle squirtle,” he insisted, pride still in need of more tending than his body.

Thinking about it for a moment, Ash hesitantly agreed. If Squirtle took another blow like that, though, Ash was calling it all off. Head injuries weren’t a joke, after all! “Torkoal, use Iron Defense again while Squirtle uses Rapid Spin.”

Gleaming gray, Torkoal stood still as Squirtle once again retreated into its shell, this time rapidly spinning towards the larger reptile. However, the impact must have been jarring as the attack was short lived. Torkoal didn’t seem much phased by it, either.

Squirtle once again clutched its head, eyes swirling.

“Hey! You’re getting dizzy out there, aren’t you?!” Ash demanded.

Squirtle waved it off. He’d faced worse. Besides, how rusty was he?! This was nothing, right?! “Squirtle!”

“Pikachu,” the starter muttered, already predicting how this would end.

Raising his fist, Ash called for another round. “Flamethrower against Water Gun! Let’s go!”

Torkoal’s flame struck true. However, still dazed between the failed Skull Bash and the backfired Rapid Spin, Squirtle wasn’t able to maintain a constantly accurate Water Gun. As a result, he was overwhelmed…

And, Torkoal blinked, a little shocked that he had won against Squirtle. Then again, this match didn’t seem to favor the other too much. Ah, well, it wasn’t like they wouldn’t spar again later! Maybe luck would smile upon Squirtle then!

Already moving to lift the unconscious pokemon onto his back, Torkoal gave Ash a happy “Tor!” when the trainer reached him.

“Heheh, good job. Well, let’s go get to the Center, huh?”

 

* * *

 

 

Yet another clearing provided refuge from the dark and lengthy caverns, allowing sunshine to come down upon the many rocks and spires jutting from the cave walls. Minute streams of fresh spring water trickled through the parted rocks, glistening under the beams of daylight from above.

“Aw, yeah! This’ll be a great place to train! Now, we can actually see more than two feet in front of us.” Those caves made for good exercise, and had plenty of pokemon lurking in the shadows, but Ash wasn’t looking to strain his eyes today. It was time to focus purely on improvement.

“Buizel, Totodile! Come on out!” Ash tossed two pokeballs forward, releasing both water types simultaneously.

Buizel appeared standing upright, both of his paws folded over his chest. “Bui!” He barked, expression stern as ever. He was more than eager to continue growing stronger.

Totodile, on the other hand, seemed to be taking things a bit less seriously. “Dile! To-to-dile!” It quacked aloud, hopping and prancing about on his flighty feet. He seemed to be energetic as ever.

“Okay, guys! The two of you are gonna have a battle, alright? Let’s see what you guys can do!”

A cry from each of the pokemon was consent enough. Each pokemon eyed the other, with Buizel still as a statue, and Totodile rowdily hopping between its feet. The silence was palpable, soon broken by Ash himself.

“Alright, Buizel! Open this match up with Ice Punch! And Totodile, you try to dodge it!”

The Sea Weasel quickly took a more offensive stance, raising a fist that soon was coated in a ghastly blue hue, radiating cold energy. Launching off its foremost foot, Buizel quickly closed the distance between the two pokemon, attempting a first strike with its frozen fist.

However, Totodile proved that its speedy moves didn’t come without use. A quick leap brought the reptile clear out of Ice Punch’s range. Small feet fluttering, Totodile landed with grace.

Small canines were bared. Was Ash’s other pokemon mocking him? None too happy to be dodged in such a happy manner, Buizel lunged forward, throwing another punch toward Totodile.

Totodile landed on one foot, twirling as the attack was swung his way. A dip of his body brought his tail high and head clear out of Buizel’s range. Only residual chilly mist touched Totodile, sending a shiver through the creature’s spiky spine. Just enough of a wake-up call to allow him to hop out of another punch’s way, scurrying feet carrying Totodile away from Buizel.

“Bui… Bui!” The Sea Weasel growled, throwing one punch after the other now. As agile as Buizel was, he wasn’t quite equipped to deal with a pokemon that moved so unusually.

“Well, your groove’s as good as ever!” Ash let out a chuckle, scratching his cheek. As funny as the sight was, it showed progress. Nonetheless, he couldn’t solely root for Totodile. “Buizel, Aqua Jet!”

Humiliated as he was, Buizel grinned. Now, he’d show that speedy croc. “Bui!” He cried, summoning a powerful swirl of water around his form, launching him towards Totodile. Moving with far more speed and sureness than before, Buizel hit his mark.

Totodile was forced back, wincing after taking the first hit of the match.

“Now, Totodile! Hang in there, and use Slash!”

Needless to say, a pokemon needed to know how to take advantage of any split second vulnerability. Even in the wake of taking an attack of their own. Landing on its hind legs, Totodile sprung back off the ground towards the landing Buizel. One arm was raised, quickly swinging forward to strike the Sea Weasel with sharpened claws. The attack hit its mark.

“Great job, both of you! Now, Buizel, Water Pulse!”

Buizel lowered both of his paws to his center of gravity, pouring effort into a bubbling sphere of glowing liquids that soon took a perfectly round shape. With a cry, Buizel tossed it forward.

“Totodile! Stop that attack in its tracks, with a Bite attack!”

Small waves parted in the attack’s wake, leading it swiftly towards Totodile. The pokemon’s wide maw parted, waiting eagerly for the attack to fall into his trap. And his trap, not surprisingly, did shut when the energized sphere neared his jaw. Strong teeth and muscle crashed down upon Water Pulse, all but neutralizing the rushing water. Mist sprayed from its closed mouth, leaving the jolly gator unscathed.

“Improvising” on his trainer’s orders, Buizel let out a grunt before flinging another Water Pulse toward Totodile. Even if they seemed more or less matched in strength, Totodile’s ability to constantly evade and neutralize his attacks was growing annoying, to say the least.

Said water type jumped out of the attack’s way, barely evading an explosion of water and raw energy. He hopped on a nearby rock next, and then another outcrop after another sphere was thrown his way. After that, he lunged to the next. This simply became a game of dodging Buizel’s attacks, flips and leaps allowing him to avoid the full brunt of Water Pulse, only being peppered by pebbles and mist. Of course, such a game could only last so long.

He was struck with an explosive sphere mid-leap, knocked against the rocky wall before sliding down to the ground below. The ring of the explosion shot through his ears, leaving Totodile feeling rather dizzy. Waddling haphazardly about, Totodile began to gnaw on a rock.

“I think that attack made him confused!” Ash frowned, reaching to rub the back of his head. “Totodile! Try to snap out of it! Buizel, why don’t you try mixing Ice Punch with Aqua Jet!”

Buizel shot off in a burst of water once more, rocketing off towards Totodile. Adding on to the assault, he raised his fist inside of the jet, coating it with an aura of cold energy. Naturally, the temperature took over the surrounding water, creating something of an imperfect Ice Aqua Jet. “Bui!” Buizel swung his fist forward, crashing a ice-encased fist into Totodile.

“That’s gotta hurt.” Ash winced, watching Totodile offer little resistance. “Buizel, use Ice Punch again! And Totodile, you try to get back in the battle, and dodge it!”

Thrilled to finally be on a roll, Buizel was quick to rush in for another blow.

Unfortunately for him, Totodile’s confusion had finally started to wear off. His mind now clear, the first thing the water type saw was a frozen flist flying his way. Letting out a startled cry, Totodile parted its maw.Each of its sharp fangs took on a bright glow, doing what they knew best.

Brilliant fangs sunk into Buizel’s fist, catching it right in Totodile’s mouth. Buizel let out a cry of pain, struggling to pull his arm from the trap. Alas, his efforts were to no avail.

“Is that some kind of new attack?” Ash gawked, noting the glowing fangs. Pulling out his pokedex, he soon got his answer.

“Crunch has been learned. A stronger variation of Bite that can lower defense.”

Though, it soon was shown that munching down on a freezing fist came at a price. Shivers ran through Totodile, all the way to its head. The pokemon let out a squeal, tossing Buizel towards the cave’s wall before hopping about in pain.

“Yikes. Looks like Totodile gave himself brain freeze!” Ash frowned. “Well, at least ya learned a new move! Now, let’s wrap this up! Totodile, use Water Gun! And Buizel, you use Aqua Jet!”

Buizel crashed into the rocky surface, feeling the breath painfully knocked from his lungs. Still, he was stubborn as ever, quickly scrambling to his feet. Ignoring his ailing paw, Buizel obeyed, launching himself at Totodile once more.

The latter scrambled to pull himself together after the chilling headache, parting his huge maw to fire off a pressurized jet of water. The attack collided with Buizel’s makeshift missile center-stage, leading to each attack pushing back and forth against the other.

As powerful as Totodile’s Water Gun was, though, it only seemed to hold the stubborn weasel back for so long. Intent on proving his strength, Buizel spun about the powerful jet, circling it before managing to crash into Totodile.

The croc took the full brunt of the attack, skidding back before falling unconscious.

“Well, that’s a wrap!” Ash called out, roundly impressed with both of the water types. “You’re as fast as ever, Totodile! That dancing really helps ya out, huh?” Ash praised, applying a Super Potion to the dizzy pokemon. “And your power’s something else, Buizel! You’ll be a powerhouse in no time!”

“Bui!” The Sea Weasel crossed his arms over his chest, baring a satisfied smirk. It’d been a hard fought battle, and he was admittedly sore from a number of hits, but he’d still won!

 

* * *

 

 

As much as he preferred being busy to being still, Ash had to admit there was a certain magic to the night sky which could draw him in and lure him to lay for half hours at a time, just observing its beauty. Head to head with Pikachu, the black haired boy traced out imaginary patterns betwixt the stars, recalling constellations he could plan a route by and making up others that caught his eyes.

The symphony of the night sounds lulled him, breathing a slow, steady beat. Overhead, Noctowl circled, wings flapping lazily upon the breeze. Truly, the night was peaceful. A mysterious heatwave earlier in the week--a day or two after the ice storm, actually--brought on the pleasant weather. Ash was really going to have to investigate the mysterious warmth within the caves he felt when he and Glalie were with that Misdreavus.

But, for now, he would just enjoy the night.

… And try to sing. Hum, rather.

At first, Pikachu was curious about the melody, no matter how poorly mumbled it was. However, after recognizing it--Lugia, prophecy, near death--the electric type twisted around to look at his trainer before pressing his cheek to the boy’s head.

“Ow! Pikachu!”

The audience was decidedly against Ash’s singing.

Above them, however, Noctowl could only let out a hoot of a chuckle at the antics below. However, very briefly, it would see that it also had a displeased audience.

The painful Screech came first, disorienting Noctowl just enough to get its guard down. Then, as he was trying to figure things out, a bevy of stars rained down upon the flying type. After the Swift came the heavy landing of an assailant. It clung to Noctowl, using Leech Life to steal energy.

Ash’s attention was upon the owl at once, worry in his eyes. “Noctowl! No!” There were Golbats around him, so many--Ash counted six in all. “Noctowl! Use Extrasensory!”

Hastily, the Noctowl took advantage of his peculiar neck to look back at the Golbat which suckled his life energy. A flash of pink glow from the eyes and the point-blank range of the attack sent the Golbat off Noctowl’s back and spiraling, tumbling, crashing down towards the earth.

Five Golbats remained and they had no time for sympathy for their fallen brethren.

One used wing attack, jostling Noctowl. Another used Bite, causing the flying type to flinch and mimic the Golbat from earlier. However, Noctowl righted himself.

“What’s their issue… are they bullying him because he’s shiny?!” Ash wondered aloud. “Hypnosis!”

Lucking out, as the Noctowl began ascending, two of the Golbats were caught in its tick-tock spell, eyes enchanting the two poison types so that they fell--into a slumber and down to the earth. Three enemies remained.

Talons flexing, Noctowl grew tense as it was approached from both sides by Golbats.

“Use Sky Attack to dodge and go for the one above!” Ash called.

And, just in time, too. The confuse ray intended for Noctowl instead landed on the Golbat which had planned upon using Poison Fang on the bird. However, now confused, the biting Golbat latched furiously upon its kin, tangling the two up. Angry at the other’s foolishness, the ray-using Golbat fought back, unknowingly causing their sudden plummet from the sky as they locked feet and lost their ability to fly right.

Though pleased with Noctowl’s ability to get rid of so many enemies, Ash was all the same disappointed the last Golbat dodged Noctowl’s Sky Attack. “Come on… we can handle this, just one more,” he muttered, voice on the edge of a whine. He was worried. How many Golbats were on this mountain? How many might hear the fight and come running, too? “Noctowl, use Air Slash!” They had to finish this.

Still below the Golbat, Noctowl was greeted with a Swift attack as its Air Slash struck up, splitting the breezes and creating dead air without lift before it. Both attacks struck true, though neither pokemon were fully knocked out. Instead, they grew weary--so weary that they wished to glide.

But, for Golbat, there was no easy breeze. The flight down would be exhausting and it would likely collapse upon reaching the ground.

For Noctowl, on the other hand, it was merely a matter of staying away from the lack of breeze it had created and following Ash’s voice.

When he landed--his trainer catching him with open arms--the Noctowl could only tiredly hoot.

What a work out.

“Great job, buddy!” Ash praised, having been genuinely worried. He returned the pokemon before picking up Pikachu. “Come on… I don’t wanna be here when they all come to.”

 

* * *

 

 

Basking in the beaming sunlight by a stream, Corphish and Kingler dipped the tips of their feet in the water, a bit off from the rest of the party. Lunch had been served and the duo had finished their meals early, running off to play after.

“Cor!” Corphish suddenly suggested, stepping off shore and into the stream fully.

Kingler mused, looking back towards Ash. Would their trainer notice if they went missing? It’d be hard to just battle for fun without the other pokemon making judgements about their moves. They didn’t want to be critiqued; they just wanted to have a good time! Besides, they hadn’t had a chance to just play around this much since they came off the ranch! “King!” the fully evolved water type agreed, stepping into the water as well. In short order, they were both swept downstream willingly.

No one seemed to notice their disappearance just yet.

“Cor! Cor!” the smaller shellfish cheered, claws above his head as their ride game to an end as the stream became shallow and they reached a wide section with lots of smooth, mossy stones.

Kingler grew playful, popping Corphish suddenly with a Crabhammer and sending the younger pokemon skidding across the rocks.

Taken off guard at first, Corphish then chuckled. Kingler wanted to play rough, huh? “Phish!”

“Gler!” the red crab called, battered back by Corphish’s own Crabhammer. However, the playful mood did not subside. Using Vice Grip, Kingler lifted Corphish high, noting the way the orange pokemon flailed and used Harden, shocked but not quite mad.

“Phish phish phish!” Corphish chided as he was set back down. Kingler wasn’t that big! Why did he act like Corphish was incapable of doing the same as him?!

Taking this as a challenge, Kingler used Harden as well, awaiting Corphish to pick him up. The smaller pokemon hesitated before doing so, straining ever so slightly under the weight of Kingler.

“Cor… cor, corphish!”

“Kingler!” He was not fat; Corphish was just entirely too small!

Laughing as Corphish miserably dropped the bigger water type, Kingler was greeted with a Bubble Beam to the face. Wasting no time, Kingler began the mock battle once more, using stomp to playfully batter the other’s rear. Corphish really ought to respect his elders, Kingler teased. “Gler!”

Corphish used another Crabhammer. “Orphish!” he snapped, a bit embarrassed. Elders shouldn’t get to rest on their laurels so quickly, Corphish argued.

Battering back with Crabhammer as well, Kingler continued in his merriment.

Another Bubble Beam was blown at Kingler from Corphish, prompting the red pokemon to use Vice Grip to keep his junior in place. Whilst Corphish was flailing, a curious glow overtook him…

And, after it faded, Crawdaunt appeared.

Kingler at once released the seeming stranger. All was quiet for about five seconds. After that, neither pokemon would shut up.

“KING!” “CRAW!” “King king kingler!” “Crawdaunt daunt daunt!”

They danced in place, thoroughly pleased with Corphish’s sudden evolution into Crawdaunt.

However, their little party was interrupted by a shill “Pikapi, Pikachu!”

Looking up stream, the duo spied Ash who looked torn between pride and anger. “You guys shouldn’t run off! … How was I supposed to congratulate you?” Apparently, Ash’s worries were for nothing. Both pokemon rushed over, chattering in their tongues about what exactly had happened. The trainer couldn’t stay mad.

 

* * *

 

  
Days of Ash’s training ordeal had turned to weeks, and weeks had turned to months, night and day blurring together in the wake of near-constant toiling and hard work. Over time, the adolescent had adjusted to the harsh climate, fingers growing tough enough to scale heights, muscles toughening to handle the mountain, and scars adorning him from unforgiving close calls. One thing he hadn’t adjusted to, though, was the cold.

Shivering from the wake of the last harsh snowstorm near the mountain peaks, Ash shuffled from rocks recently scaled toward the nearest cave. The top of his jacket, surprisingly, was buttoned up, containing a very cozy Pikachu. “Man, it’s freezing here! There’s gotta be somewhere warmer up here… Maybe this cave’ll help us out.” Putting his complaining to rest, he slipped into the nearby entrance, avoiding the worst of the bitter winds.

Sure enough, the desperate need to conceal his skin from the air around him faded as the cold gave way to warmth. “I think we lucked out, buddy. This tunnel’s nothing like the outside! I wonder what’s in here, anyway.” He unbuttoned his jacket, freeing Pikachu.

“Pikachu.” The mouse scrambled to his trainer’s shoulder, beady eyes turning left and right as his trainer walked along. Even compared to the lower tiers of the mountain, this tunnel was growing uncomfortably hot. Fire types were all but nonexistent towards the heights, too.

Soon enough, the heat almost grew unbearable. Sweat trickled down the trainer’s forehead for the first time in what felt like weeks as he moved onward. “Hey, check it out! There’s another path down here.” Ash stopped in his tracks, peering down a tunnel that only seemed to journey deeper into the mountain. Notably, a rush of heat basked him coming from the dark path.

“So that’s where it’s coming from… Guess we might as well check it out, huh?” After spotting a nod from his companion, Ash ventured down a natural staircase forged by stone, spotting a light at the end of the tunnel that gradually grew brighter as he ventured further. Finally, the path evened. Stepping into a wider cavern, Ash lay face to face with the source of the smoldering heat.

The rolling waves of heat wafting off the flame-winged crane made the solemn cavern swelter. Panting, the chosen one looked up from the low peninsula. On either side of him, the waters swirled, low vapors collecting over the surface. Humid and miserable, this was the lair of Moltres, hidden away in Mount Silver. 

And the master of the mountain looked down upon Ash, keen eyes unwavering, ancient memory unfailing. He recalled the day he’d been bound and the day he’d been saved.

“It’s Moltres…” Ash spoke, his voice notably subdued from his normal loud, sometimes obnoxious tone. Infernos tailing its wings and crowning its head completed the iconic imagery. The same pokemon who’d offered its favor at the Indigo League. The same pokemon who’d warred with its brethren in the Orange Archipelago, where the Earth had nearly suffered certain doom. A daunting pokemon, to say the least. Worthy of fear and respect. Though, Ash only knew one of these concepts. Surely, if there was any ultimate test that this mountain could grant him, this would be it. “Moltres!” He shouted. “I didn’t think I’d find ya here… But now that I’m down, I might as well see what we’re made of. Pikachu and I want to challenge you to a match.”

The ancients were enigmatic, distant, and unfathomably powerful. But, he knew the boy liked to battle, so he could bring himself to be humbled unto that. Looking into Ash's fierce black hues, there was no mistaking the boldness that dwelled within him. The indomitable drive to test himself and improve. If this trainer's iron will had any worth, though, it would have to withstand the legendary creature's smoldering wrath.

“Moltres! Did you hear me!? I want to battle you!” He fanned himself with his hat, growing uncomfortable within mere minutes of entering the cavern. Regardless, Ash refused to back away and leave the cave. Pikachu, likewise, with stood the unbearably hot air. Was this the legendary’s pressure ability—or simply his raw power, the heat he possessed within that fiery gut?

“Mol!” Spreading his wings, Moltres finally accepted the duo’s challenge. Descending from his royal spire in the center of the room, he opened his beak to begin with a scalding flamethrower, no hesitance in his mind. The dark room was lit ablaze by the brilliant flames, making Moltres appear to be but a towering shadow backed by a bright inferno.

Likewise, the aspiring master felt no need to hold back.  Throwing a hand to the air with his usual dramatic flair, Ash called his first command of the match. “Pikachu, use Quick Attack!”

As Moltres arced down, a blistering draft dragging after him, Pikachu jumped off Ash’s shoulder, leaping towards the craggy walls of the high ceiling’s cavern to seek to pounce upon Moltres’s back. Landing, he avoided the flame bath below. He spared a split second glance, assuring himself of his trainer’s safety.

Ash had stepped back in due time, avoiding the flames that had only been spat upon pools surrounding Moltres’ throne, the body of water hissing as steam was spat into the air above. A wide smile had worked its way onto the curves of Ash’s lips. That had been a close call, but Pikachu had landed right on target.

Moltres flew up, aware of his passenger but equally aware that the Pikachu would not hang on for long. He opened his maw again, spitting out a Sunny Day to aid him. A blinding orb hung right below the ceiling of the cavern, further burdening man and pokemon alike with blistering heat. The temperature this high up proved too much, forcing Pikachu to hastily remove his paws from the bird’s back. The rodent slipped off Moltres, eyes glued on his opponent as he fell down.

“Quick attack, again! Stay on the walls!” If he did that, then Pikachu would surely have more foot holds on those ragged walls than he would down towards the ground. Steamy waters dominated the bottom of the chamber, significantly outnumbering sparse patches of rock. Kicking off a spire of stone, Pikachu clung to the gravely sides of the cavern.

Moltres saw this and landed on a nearby spire, eyes glowing as his wings folded inward. An ancient power was used, breaking up parts of the scenery. Glowing chunks of rock manipulated by an odd sort of sorcery were flung towards Pikachu.

Of course, this was nothing Ash and Pikachu hadn’t dealt with before. “Iron tail! Knock ‘em right back!”

Shifting his weight to his forepaws, Pikachu kicked off the wall as necessary to twist and turn in order to send the boulders flying. He successfully managed to send several off course with his iron bolt-shaped hammer of a tail, and some were even sent careening back towards Moltres.

The enchanted rocks smashed into the pokemon of legend, earning a loud, pained cry.

But, this was a legendary. After fending off so many stones, they simply overwhelmed Pikachu, smashing into the rodent and knocking him off his perch.

“Agility! Agility!” Seeing Pikachu tense as he neared the water, Ash spied a pattern in the falling boulders. He’d only have one chance… “Get up on those rocks, and use Quick attack!”

Using his boosted speed, Pikachu dashed across the falling stones, headed for the slim peninsula of rock he and Ash had begun their challenge on.

He did not make it.

The blast of a Solarbeam knocked him off course, sending him skidding across the water before landing on another small island of rock in the middle of Moltres’s steaming lake. The bird had not moved once, watching patiently.

Clearly, they were not going to get dominance physically over Moltres. They’d have to break him down from a distance. That was fine. If he could bide their time until the sunny day wore out, then they could do this.

“You alright, buddy?!”

“Chu!”

“Use Electro Ball, then!”

Pikachu raised his tail skyward, crackling electricity building in a sphere at the broad end. With a turn of his hips, the gold orb shot up towards its target. The hurled bundle of electricity sent the bird flying. They missed—this time. But, they had him on the move.

“Keep going!”

Pikachu grinned. Batter up! He began swishing back and forth, each whip of his tail sending off another Electro Ball towards Moltres. The legendary quickly grew tired of this, circling back around. Several orbs of surging electricity pummeled it, but true to its mythical nature, the legendary didn’t slow down.

Tossing his head to and fro, he began using up the last of his sunny day, a monstrously strong flamethrower being torn from his throat. It scorched all in his path, toasting the ground along its way towards its missed target. Another competitor, however, wasn’t so lucky. Pikachu’s trainer was caught in the onslaught, diving away from the legendary bird’s molten wrath. Unfortunately, he wasn’t quite fast enough.

“Pikapi!”

“Aaaah!” The bold challenger had been hit square in the back, despite his attempt, lighting his clothing ablaze. Ash quickly snatched at the base of his shirt, tearing it and his jacket off in a frenzied rush. He made sure to stomp out his hat first, his hair’s small flames put out with the snatching of his shirt. Though the flames had been extinguished quickly, the distinct scent of burnt flesh lingered like the ugly, fresh burn marks on the teen’s shoulders.

“Haaa… aaa,” he panted, kneeling down as he rode out the first waves of pain, waiting for the adrenaline rush to numb it a little. A gloved hand dug into the gravel that laid beside him, accompanied by a pained hiss from the injured boy.

Moltres paused, landing on a spire near Pikachu. Its eyes lay intently upon its opponent, waiting for further response from him. Would they continue their battle? Or had its hellish flames done him in?

“Grah… w-what’re you waiting on?!” The boy gave Moltres its answer, bold dark hues glowering upon the powerful pokemon. His teeth were bared, gaze fierce. “We came all the in here to—nngh!—battle it out, so battle us!”

The legendary needn’t be told twice. Turning his focus on Pikachu, he spread his wings, sending a strong gale through the chambers which sent the electric type soaring. With sunny day’s scalding influence fading away, his Hurricane attack was far more powerful.

Nevertheless, Pikachu had an advantage as well. He’d been struck by powerful electric attacks time and again, plaguing his body with a lingering electric charge. With each flap of his wings, Moltres was brewing up a storm, whether he knew it or not. Stray bolts followed the hurricane, lighting the tense airs within the cavern.

And the challenging party would profit off that. The building tempest caught Ash’s eye, excitement building in his heart as their opportunity became evident. Emotions built to their peak, caramel pools filling the boy’s dark hues as a fist was thrown into the air, a thunderous shout echoing through the cavern.

“Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!”

The electric type leaped forward, bounding off the rocky spires that Moltres soared over, seeking to make distance between himself and the smaller pokemon. It didn’t matter. Pikachu was able to keep up with his fleeing target, and soon a boom rang through the mountaintop. Golden flashes of electricity ignited the air between the two pokemon, swallowing Moltres in a blinding tempest.

“MOL!”

A shriek was just barely heard over the distinct boom of electricity, a charred fiery spirit left in its wake. Weary and on the verge of fainting, the flying type fluttered to his rocky nest, exhausted. Landing heavily on his belly, his great neck drooped. He’d been challenged and bested.

But, Pikachu couldn’t even take a moment to enjoy the fact he’d just sparred against a legendary and come out victorious. He at once began bounding among the rock spires, landing before Ash with a thud. The boy had put his shirt and jacket back on with difficulty, gloves stained with ichor.

“Pikapi…” The mouse stood at his feet, beady eyes sullen with worry. The adrenaline built in the heat of the moment had faded, and his trainer’s condition was now his only concern. Would he be alright…?

Despite his current state and his partner’s concern, Ash could only laugh. “Y-You did great buddy! You’re pretty banged up, too… let’s head to a Pokemon Center, huh?” Looking down upon his victorious friend, he turned toward the exit to Moltres’ chamber, eager to cash in on a well-deserved rest. Struggling in his steps, Ash stopped to turn toward his opponent. “Thanks for the battle, Moltres… They don’t call you a legendary for nothin’, huh?”

The phoenix let out a cry. As bitter as defeat was, especially for a pokemon of its caliber… That kid was special. It was good, at least, to see that he’d grown strong enough to defend himself.

“Chu…”

Pikachu favored a foreleg he’d strained during the match as he walked beside his injured trainer. He was tired. This mountain had begun to wear on them.


	10. Chilling Out and Moving On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mt. Silver has served its purpose, and left Ash and Pikachu with many reminders; some pleasant, and some not so pleasant. He's happy to return to home-sweet-home, but as soon as he's arrived, he receives another invitation! Where will he be running off to, this time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this far! If you're interested in seeing more, please leave a comment! Feedback is appreciated!

He didn’t know whether the slight cool of the late winter air was of comfort or pain to him. His shoulders and arms still hurt. The burns were raw and every movement he swore caused a scraping across them with his clothes that just might drive him mad with pain. He felt he’d experienced worse… but it also felt like it was taking forever to get downhill.

It was probably because he was so restricted on how he could move his arms.

“How you doin’, buddy?” the trainer checked, tired eyes sliding off to the side to get a peek of his partner pokemon. The little yellow mouse trotted beside Ash on all fours, tail dragging behind him and ears a little limp. Exhaustion weighed heavily on both of them and, unfortunately, the adrenaline of what they’d just done could no longer fuel them. It was only the discipline of someone who was familiar with traversing the wilderness and the will to survive which spurred them on.

It seemed fate would smile upon them once more, though.

“Dreee!”

Ash looked up, squinting to recognize the dark little shape headed towards them. In short order, though, it was clarified. It was a Misdreavus! And, judging by the personality, the same one he’d indulged to battle up on the mountain.

Ash grimaced as she fluttered around them, oblivious and giddy. “Not now, Misdreavus… we’re trying to get to the Pokemon Center.”

“Mis?” she inquired before floating down by Pikachu. The two exchanged words before her countenance changed. Worry flooded her voice and she rushed forward, path diverging from what Ash originally had planned as their route down. “Dre! Dre dre!”

“Pikapi pika,” the mouse assured before following Misdreavus.

“... you’re gonna show us a short cut?” Ash realized, smiling. “Thank you!”

So, their journey continued. Though it took them through thick woods and for times Ash worried if he would need to battle thanks to the distant grunts and growls of other wild pokemon. Misdreavus scared them off with ghostly wails. It was likely Ursaring--which would fare poorly for Ash and Pikachu’s sake, but worked out nicely against a ghost type. The bears wouldn’t waste their time with her, after all.

Eventually, her short cut proved its worth by shaving a whole hour of travel time off their journey! The slopes were gentler as well and therefore easier on the heroic duo.

Sighing as he spotted the orange roof of the Center in the distance, Ash looked to Misdreavus. “Thank you. We owe you big time!”

He was about to walk off when the little ghost let out a whine. “Misdreavus…” She floated in front of Ash, frowning. “Misdrea! Dreavus dreavus!”

Blinking, Ash put two and two together. “Oh! You wanna come with us.” He looked towards his arms, wincing as he lifted one to try and reach into his bag. Shrugging it off his shoulders with no promise of relief seemed insane. “I… can’t right now.” He hung his head before thinking better as pain shot through the chaffed skin on his neck. “Gah!” An epiphany reached him. “Wait! You’re a ghost! Hey, if you can float through my bag and get into one of the empty pokeballs, you can come with us right now! If not, I’ll catch you once I get patched up!”

It was worth a shot, Misdreavus supposed. Phasing through the cloth of Ash’s bag, she searched for a moment. Ash tensed as a distinct clinch marked a pokeball opening. He prayed she hadn’t released anyone while the bag was still on his back. However, a wiggling motion told him otherwise. When a ding clarified her successful capture, he breathed a sigh of relief. However, as quickly as that happened, a slight weight was removed from the bag.

“Guess she’s in the PC right now. Let’s go get patched up and then introduce her to the team, huh, Pikachu?”

“Pika,” the mouse agreed, mostly looking forward to the treatment. Misdreavus could be properly introduced after his bruises were tended to.

 

* * *

 

 

Days had gone by with little ruckus in the Pokemon Center, routines seldom interrupted by little more than wild pokemon stopping by to be fed. No scars to tend to, and no bottomless stomachs to feed. Nurse Joy had found things to be remarkably easy. Though, that did make things a bit dull in the small hospital. Currently sorting and ruffling files behind her desk, Joy could hardly anticipate what was about to walk through her glass doors.

The fresh, clean aroma of the center was intruded upon by the smell of sweat and burnt clothes, quickly turning the pair of sapphire eyes toward the front entrance. A gasp left the woman’s lips, worry building when she spotted Ash limping into the small building. Lacking the usual spring in his step, he made his way to the front desk, resting an arm on the counter top.

“Uh… Nurse Joy?” He started, ignoring the pain that surged through the extremity. “The two of us could use a lil’ help.” That was quite an understatement, of course, but that was Ash for you.

“Pikachu.” Ash’s companion leapt onto the counter, though, with unusual difficulty.

“My goodness!” Though the nurse should hardly be surprised; he’d stumbled into the center in less than stellar shape a number of times before; judging by his charred clothing, this had to be the worst case so far. “What on Earth happened to you two!? Here, let me take Pikachu.”

She cradled the electric type, clicking her tongue at the bruises and burns that adorned his yellow fur. “Chansey! Please bring a stretcher and accompany Pikachu to treatment!” She called, lightly scratching under the mouse’s chin. “You’ve been through quite the trial, haven’t you? Well, your condition is hardly fatal. Just try to relax, and we’ll take care of you.”

The helpful Egg pokemon scurried in with the appropriate equipment, taking possession of Pikachu before lightly setting him down on the flat surface. “Chansey~!” It chimed, wheeling Pikachu off towards the area where he would be properly treated.

“Hang in there, buddy! I’ll see ya soon!” Ash called, answered by a wave of Pikachu’s paw. Turning back to the Nurse, he flashed a sheepish smile. Even he was aware of the reputation he’d picked up for getting tied into danger.

“Now you, I’ll have to take care of myself. Somehow, you seem worse off than even your pokemon. Take a seat in the other room and show me your injuries? I can’t have you leaving in this condition.” The Nurse chided, gesturing to a small treatment room for humans down the hall.

“It’s pretty wild, huh?” Ash managed a chuckle before regret washed over, punished by an ache in his neck. He sluggishly made his way over to the room, leaving his scorched red jacket behind.

 

* * *

 

 

As a nurse, particularly as a nurse at such a remote vista, this particular Joy had seen more than her fair share of misery. This particularly battered case was more chipper than usual. Then again, she’d discovered that the boy in red was the sole source of sunny bliss on that mountain.

Too bad he’d been blistered by a brighter warmth. “There. Now, you may need to go make some calls… you’ll need to make sure those bandages are changed on the regular.” Beginning to clean up after the process, she clicked her tongue. Despite his injuries, he kept a smile as wide reaching as the burns he sported.

“Sure thing, Nurse Joy!” The teen chimed, seeming eerily happy to have come back from what could qualify as second degree burns. He was in pain, there was no doubt about it - but his spirits had soared, thanks to the very conflict that had scarred him so. When the reality of who he’d have to speak to crossed him, however, his smile seemed to fade, worry setting in. “Man, Mom’s gonna kill me when she sees me like this… But, wait till I tell her that I got it beating a Moltres!”

“Well, I can only imagine how upset your mother would be. You really should be more–excuse me?” The nurse looked up from where she was putting away the waste, carefully into the bio-waste bin. “Did you just say _Moltres_?” Surely he was joking. Right?

Her shock earned one of his typical grins. He hadn’t even mentioned that, had he? Ash has recited the fact so many times in his head that whether or not it passed his lips escaped him. “I sure did! Right up near the top of the mountain, it was in one of the caverns! Somehow, Pikachu ended up being the lucky one! He came out of it just fine!” It was hard not to boast about the stunning abilities his partner displayed, returning only with a few bruises and burns. Nothing like what Ash had suffered. It sufficed to say he was just that tough, right?

“That does make sense,” she muttered. She frowned. “…that explains why this part of the mountain is strictly off limits to the average trainer, harshness of it all aside.” A momentary burst of pride filled her. She was sort of a guardian, wasn’t she, then? This cheer in her heart, she nodded. “Right, right, well, you’d better go call your mother. When you’re done, your team will be all rested up. I suppose I should get dinner ready for everyone, too…” She did have wild pokemon who knew she was trustworthy to look after, too, after all. The lonely little center was a busy one.

“I can see why. I can’t remember the last time I came across pokemon that powerful!” Awed as he was, the observation did serve as a boast; he’d been up in the caverns and heights for months now, and the nurse knew that. He’d survived. Just as much as pride served his ego, though, his stomach needed nourishment too. His eyes lit up at the mention of dinner, and he was quick to hop up off the table, reprimanded for his haste by a sharp pain in his still tender skin. Moving more carefully to the phone, he was quick to dial in his home phone number, waiting not-so-patiently for his mother’s image to appear on the screen.

Back in warmer Pallet, Delia had just finished dinner. The only thing that captured her attention more than keeping up with local affairs–when _was_ the next block party?–was the ringing of the phone. More often than not, it was not her ever busy baby boy, but this time…

This time she, lucked out.

The screen flashed through, Delia’s curious expression blossoming into livid excitement. “Ash! It’s so good to see you, honey! How are you? Are you warm? Are you changing your underwear regularly?”

“Hey, Mom!” The boy beamed, thrilled to see his mother’s face again. After so much solitude, pardoning his own pokemon and the wildlife, seeing someone dear to him was definitely refreshing. “I’m doing pretty great!” That was answered smoothly enough, though the mention of her embarrassing reminder led to a quick raising of his hands, showing he was quick to try to dismiss the topic. The sudden movement left him with another surge of pain, however, his arms and voice faltering with him. “Mom, I… Told you, I remember to do that now!” He finished with a wince. His t-shirt hid the numerous bandages, but would he be able to keep that agony under wraps?

Motherly instincts ran strongly in Delia–well, the protective, nurturing kind. If there was no need to act overly protective, she was much more relaxed. This was not one of those times, however. “What’s wrong?” she inquired, eyes zeroing in. He’d winced when he was moving his arms… “Did you get a broken bone again? What’d you fall off of?!” At least he was at a center, she reminded herself. He’d gotten help. Wait, no, he didn’t have a cast. “What happened?”

“I, uh… None of those things! Nothing’s broken!” He winced again, this time in the true manner of a scolded child caught doing something wrong. “I just, uh…. Kinda got burnt up a little!” Nervous laughter followed - a sign that he knew that didn’t come out sounding nearly as good as he’d hoped. “…But it was from a really intense battle! Nurse Joy said as long as I’m careful, I’ll be alright in no time!” It wasn’t exactly a lie… Sure, she’d said he should stay off his feet for a bit, but details were details.

“And, how did you get burnt?” Trust a mother to zero in on the loose details. “Who did it? Did you report them? They should really work on the aim of their fire types.” She knew training was a fairly dangerous profession, yes, but this was her child and the statistics and expectations of any career be damned for that.

“Well, it… Wasn’t exactly a trainer! There are hardly any of them up here!” He was sure Professor Oak had mentioned that when describing the area before he’d decided to come. “The thing is… Pikachu got into a battle with Moltres! We got a little beat up, but we won! Pretty impressive, huh?” Though that did serve as a distraction, he did want her to be proud. After all, he’d defeated a pokemon of legend with a Pikachu! That was no small feat.

“… Moltres…?” Like on the islands. Delia seemed quite for a moment, got up, walked off screen, and was quiet for a moment. There was the distinct sound of angry screeching (why must the universe have cursed her with both a reckless child and then burdening him with… with, destiny?! Fate?! Something!) though muffled through a few rooms. Composure regained, Delia was proud. Not as much as she was concerned, but all the same. “That’s fantastic, honey! You certainly deserve a break! Why don’t you, Pikachu, and all your pokemon come back to Pallet for a spell?” Her words seemed like an invitation… but they were phrased the same way the offer of a jacket on a cold day was as much a warning as a sentence of concern.

He could even feel himself wince when the scream was heard from the other room. It didn’t exactly come as a surprise; while the boy had little to no sense of self-preservation, it wasn’t out of this world for someone close to him to worry about his ridiculous exploits. “A break…? But we’ve been making so much progress lately. Thanks to training here, we were strong enough to do what we just did!” A pout had fixed itself on his lips. Why stop working when it was giving such fantastic results? Heck, if he kept it up, maybe he’d be a Pokemon Master long before he thought he would!

“Aw, but you shouldn’t bu–butt up against so many good things at once!” Smooth recovery, Delia. “Besides, aren’t you supposed to be recovering, right now?” How prepared was Ash to go up against Mom-logic, anyway?

“I… Guess so.” Deflated and defeated, even Ash knew that she had a point there. It was normally his style to rush back in as soon as it was marginally safe to do so. But, with that win under their belts… Maybe it _was_ time for a break. “I just thought I’d keep at it… But, if it’d be best for all of my pokemon, then I guess I’ll come home.”

She hated to exploit his natural urge to tend to his companions… but she really was worried. “After a rest, you all will be able to fully charge into a new adventure.” She winked, trying to encourage him. “Besides, who’s going to notice your might up on that silly old mountain? You should be showing off down here!” Where she could keep a better track of him, admittedly, but a part of it was a selfless desire–he wanted to be recognized for his skills, didn’t he? Well, that would require witnesses. And, witnesses did not trek through the blinding blizzards of that mount.

“Hey… You’re right! I wanna show the world what I’m made of, now!” He chippered up immediately. Hook, line, and sinker. “With all the hard work we’ve put in here, the next league is ours!” Which one that would be was anyone’s guess. Maybe back home? “Alright, Mom… You win! As soon as everyone’s fixed up, I’ll come home! Besides, I’ve got two new friends here I want ya to meet!” New pokemon, that was. And not just any wild catches!

“As long as they’ve got house manners, they’re more than welcome here, sweetheart.” Satisfied with this outcome, Delia figured she wouldn’t press her luck on inquiring about where he was going to challenge next. “Well, if that’s all, should I let you get back to taking care of business? …Oh, and don’t let me forget! You’re going to need a new outfit when you start traveling again!”

“Yeah… I’ve gotta check on Pikachu and tell him the good news!” The mention of a new outfit… Was actually spot on. He probably shouldn’t mention that his red jacket had been thoroughly charred, but she’d find out when he got home. “Oh, right! You think you could, uh… Make the one I wore up here? I’ve almost outgrown it by now, and it looks pretty cool!” The world hadn’t seen it yet, after all. He might as well get to show off on his new journey!

Well, he’d worded it right. The proud parent nodded. “Oh, you are just growing up! I thought so, but I wanted to see in person to be sure! Of course I’ll make you a bigger version! I’ll make sure your measurements are right once you’re home!” Now she’d be occupied while waiting, at least. She’d have to make sure she had the right fabrics.

“Great! Alright, Mom! I’ll see ya soon! I’m gonna go tell Pikachu!” He waved to his mother through the screen, eager to head to check on his partner as soon as the call ended. Their training had truly been put to the test, and now they were going to have some much needed rest!

Right on time. The nurse’s Chansey tottered around the corner, apparently looking for their guest. She pointed towards the dining area, indicating dinner was ready. If Ash didn’t want to lose his portions to a frequenting Machoke, well, he should probably book it.

But, when did Ash ever not get his share at meal time?

 

* * *

 

  
A scorching battle and a call home led Ash to conclude his training up in Mt. Silver’s heights, finally calling the headstrong trainer home. After a surprisingly difficult goodbye with the Nurse Joy who had tended to him and his team for so many months, the boy and his Pikachu headed home for Pallet Town. Unlike their usual journey home, this one took little time, only requiring a relatively short flight on Pidgeot.

However, Ash was puzzled by the scenery as they left… how long, exactly, had they been on Mount Silver?! Pallet was lightly dusted with snow, powder and soft. After thanking and returning the loyal flying type, Ash and Pikachu walked towards the porch, snow squelching under Ash’s feet the whole time.

“Mom!” he cheerfully cried as he knocked on the door.

“Pika chu!” the electric type chimed after.

In short order, Delia answered the door, letting out a happy giggle as she threw her arms around her boy. “Ash! You’re home!”

Struggling to swallow a yelp, Ash hugged her back. “H-Hey, it’s good to see you, too…”

Not at all fooled, Delia stepped back, eyes squinting. “You’re still hurt. … It’s fine, Mom’s gonna take great care of you! Come in and have a rest, I’ll put some mint in a towel and put it in the freezer, that should feel good--you said it was your back that was hurt? What about you, Pikachu? Ash may want ice for his healing burns, but what would you like? Maybe a heating blanket, hm?”

Though not quite sore anymore, Pikachu let out a squeak of delight at the thought of having a nice electric blanket to doze on. The luxuries of civilization were long missed!

Ash laughed, listening to his mother. He and Pikachu plopped down on the couch, intending to rest just a moment… but before he realized it, Delia had put his bag away and was asking for his shoes and jacket.

“Huh? Why?”

“You’re not going to wear shoes in my house, but you don’t have to get up, so I’ll take them. Plus, your jacket is soaked!”

Blushing a bit at how much his mother was obviously worrying and doting over him, Ash did as he was asked before turning on the TV, admitting to himself that he was rather eager to catch up on currents.

Returning with the electric blanket for Pikachu, Delia’s good mood showed no signs of slowing down. “You want a snack, dear?”

“Oh, boy, would I!”

Giggling, the Ketchum lady returned in short order with decorative cookies and milk.

“Is this Santa and Stantler?” He frowned, recalling the Ponyta cookies that used to come out at-- “Is it Christmas?!” Ash barked, shock flooding over him.

“Almost!” Delia assured. “We’re about a week away, still! Don’t worry! I was waiting on you to come home to sign some Christmas cards for your friends! Professor Oak and Gary are going to come over to spend the day with us, too!” She suddenly frowned. “You’ve been gone for a while, honey… And, I hope being hurt like you are won’t really take the party out of you.”

Trying to put her at ease, Ash stood up, waving his arms with only mild irritation in his shoulders as his reward for it. “Hey, hey, I’m fine, see? Haha, I missed you, Mom, so, let’s just focus on having a great time!”

Delia’s smile softened after the initial shock of Ash’s outburst wore off. Then, she reached to his hat, taking it off and gently ruffling the hair under it. “You know, you’ve gotten pretty tall. You really did need a new outfit.” The gentle moment of a mother realizing her child was growing passed almost (almost) as quickly as it had come. “Oh, my! Look at your sideburn--oh, no, those are bangs! Haha, your hair’s gotten so long! Tell you what, I’ll give you a quick hair cut until the shops open back up after the new year in Viridian!”

Ash reached up, touching the new locks considerately. “Mm, I kinda like ‘em. I got used to ‘em while I was on the mountain.”

“That’s fine, but you’re definitely going to shave, young man! You look like a poorly written action hero!” she teased, rubbing his cheek so that he could hear the signature scritch-scratch of stubble against skin. “Okay, you can keep that if you really want, but you’re going to need to groom it if--”

“No!” he interrupted. He blanched, not quite used to that much change yet. Maybe when he was older he’d grow a beard or something, but right now… earlier this year he’d been without even peach fuzz! That was a little too much change too quickly! Would anyone even recognize him?! “Yeah, I’ll shave, I’ll shave.”

“Heheh, better a late bloomer than never, huh?” the mother tutted before heading to the freezer to fetch the minty towel. “You know you’re supposed to wait until the new year for a new look!”

“To tell ya the truth, I never really thought about looks, before now!” Ash rubbed the back of his head, bearing a sheepish smile. Though, as quickly as that thought came, it left in favor of Ash’s niche. “Oh, Mom! I’ve gotta show you the new pokemon that I caught while I was up there!”

“Oh, of course! I’m sure you made some wonderful friends while you were up there! It’d be great to meet the ones who kept you company! Now, as long as they’re well behaved…!”

“Of course they are! Just wait till you meet Misdreavus and Tyranitar!” Ash scrambled for his pokeballs in his backpack, eyes glimmering with excitement.

“T-Tyranitar!?” The mother sputtered, already put in panic mode. “Not in my garden! Oh, it’ll just ruin all my flowers and vegetables and herbs! Not to mention the damage a pokemon that big would do to the house…! You’ll have to take it outside, honey! But, Misdreavus can stay!”

“Aw, Mom. He really isn’t that bad! But I guess you’re right.” The big softie was six… Seven feet tall? The small home wasn’t equipped for such a giant. “Alright, then. Misdreavus, come on out!”

A pokeball was tossed inside the living room - much to Delia’s horror - before bursting open, spitting out a flash of light. The product quickly took form, appearing as a shadow before fading away. Earning a few turned heads, the ghoul floated about before appearing right in Ash’s face.

“Mis!” The pokemon chirped, once more becoming visible. A small, blue specter with pink flowing tips, and a series of red jewels, the pokemon was content to nearly scare Ash out of his socks. “Misdreavus!” She orbited Ash and Pikachu, both of them regaining their composure.

“Man, you scared the he…” Dark hues darted on Delia before Ash continued. “...Heck out of me!” It was clear that the pokemon had a playful side. “Misdreavus, this is my mom! Mom, this is Misdreavus! She helped me and Pikachu get down the mountain after we battled Moltres!”

“Oh, you did?” Delia liked this little one already. “Well, thank you so much, Misdreavus! It’s good to know someone’s looking out for my babies. The two of them are always getting into trouble!” Delia remarked, much to Ash’s dismay. The matriarch attempted to give the pokemon a hug - to little avail, as her arms passed right through the creature. Quickly recovering from embarrassment, she continued, chipper. “Well, Misdreavus, consider yourself more than welcome in our home!”

“Mis! Mis!” The pokemon chirped, happily floating about, even caring to circle around Delia.

“Now, why don’t we take your other friend outside?” she suggested.

That was more than enough to send Ash and Pikachu scurrying, the second pokeball in hand. “You’ve got it, Mom!” Rushing out the door, Ash moved from the neat and tidy yard - even in winter, Delia kept her garden orderly - to the spacious sprawl of unclaimed neighborhood space. “Alright, Tyranitar, I choose you!”

A flash of light illuminated the area as Delia and Misdreavus followed them outside. As Tyranitar materialized, it looked around before suddenly seeming confused. This place looked almost like the mountain! Wasn’t the rest of the world supposed to not be cold like the mountain?! Pouting, the goliath pokemon curled his tail around his legs as he sat down.

“Aw, he looks sad,” Delia noted, walking past Ash to pat the rock type’s knee.

Tyranitar tensed up, looking frantically at Ash as if to ask if this person was safe.

“Tyranitar, that’s my mom!” he clarified. “She won’t hurt you - she might put us to work hauling firewood if the weather gets much worse, but she’s fine!”

Cocking his head, Tyranitar decided to accept Ash’s words and leaned over to give Delia quick nuzzle which resulted on her falling on her rear. Misdreavus attempted to catch Delia, but she fell through as humans tend to do with ghosts.

Laughing, Ash walked over to help his mom up as Tyranitar panicked, letting out little growling noises as an obvious apology. However, the growling continued after Tyranitar was soothed by Delia’s assurances that she was fine.

“Hey, I’m actually getting kind of hungry,” Ash mumbled.

“Mime!” Having opened a side window, Mr. Mime called out to everyone, making it clear that dinner was ready. Before they could even get in the house, the psychic type was carrying a big pot of pokechow outside.

As Ash headed inside to his own dinner, where the smaller pokemon would also eat, he couldn’t help but laugh at how funnily Tyranitar reacted to the pokechow. He’d always survived on wild foods, hadn’t he?

“Hm! This must be what it’s like when a grandmother gets all of her grandchildren for the holidays!” Delia mused. “... and my memory’s acting like it, too! Remind me after dinner that you got some letters in!”

Naturally, Ash’s mind was on the food. He was happy to wait until after dinner to get his letters.

One in particular was quite interesting he decided. Riley, of all people, had sent him a letter.

The first portion started cordially enough. Riley was oddly formal, as if he had business experience. There was naturally the small talk and Ash couldn’t help but smile as Riley talked about how well his Lucario was doing. Then, the wording got… weird. He kept going on about old business and ancient affairs, a dying trade… A shared ancestry, even. It weirded Ash out, the way Riley seemed to be making no sense…

Until he remembered and realized what the man was talking about.

Aura! They had that in common! With this connection in mind, Ash realized Riley was talking about the rare power the two of them shared.

And, that he was inviting Ash out to train it. All in vague wording, still, but with one riddle solved the other subtexts were spelled out even to one who wasn’t as book smart as Ash. Riley required no response, wanting to keep the whole affair as confidential as possible due to the secrecy of their skill.

While that was settled, the invitation did have an expiration date. Riley would expect him there for training by mid-spring at the latest. By that time, Ash would need to be training in full for the League. However, if he left sooner, he might be able to press through whatever Riley had to show him - he’d always been a fast learner - and be back in time to train.

The only matter was talking to Delia about it. She didn’t even know.

Never controlling, Delia hadn’t asked about or looked at the letter until Ash put it down and noticed the solemn look on his face. “Is everything okay, sweetheart?”

“I, uh, got an invitation for some training.”

Her lips pursed. “...You just got here.”

“I wasn’t gonna go until the new year,” he clarified, carefully treading the waters. While by no means did he really need to ask permission - he was, by all concerns of Kanto’s government, an adult - but… it felt wrong to just leave, to ignore how Delia felt about the whole matter. He wanted her blessing on the voyage just so that she wouldn’t worry and he knew things were still good between them.

“You already went off to train - unless it’s somewhere in Kanto?” she pressed. If he was staying somewhere local a while, maybe she could get someone to take over weekend shifts and she could take little vacations to spend time with him.

“It’s in Sinnoh.”

The expression on her face was momentary betrayal, but she quickly grew curious. “Who’s the letter from again?? Who’s asking you to train? Is it Dawn? Oh, it’s been awhile since I spoke with Johanna! Oh, you mentioned that you’d gotten to get along okay with that Paul boy; does he want to hang out?”

Shaking his head, Ash did admit that it would be a bit easier on him if it were the case with Dawn. They both loved training and their moms could keep each other company.

“It’s Riley.”

Mere confusion was upon her face.

Ash took a breath before looking to Pikachu. “Hey, you can’t hear anyone else, like, walking up to the house, can you?”

“... Pika.” The coast was clear, except for members of the family.

“... He’s an aura guardian.” Ash spoke again, quickly, before Delia could ask what that had to do with anything. “I’m an aura guardian.”

The woman put her hand upon her heart, forced to process this information on the spot. The legends were scarce - the art was all but seen as a myth, but having grown up in Kanto, she’d heard a few stories. But, for Ash to actually be involved in the legend, himself!? “Oh dear…” She managed a smile, however worried she still appeared. “It seems you can never stay out of the surreal, can you?” This just seemed to be the fate of her baby. First being the ‘chosen one,’ and now a disappearing clan of superheroes. It seemed this was a fate they just couldn’t avoid.

At the very least, she was very proud of her son. Accepting his condition, she continued. “Mm, so, how long will you be gone? You’re still trying for the League this year, right?”

“I’ve got until mid-summer,” Ash assured. “I’ve got a ton of time!”

The woman crossed her arms, flicking her eyes to the side. “... you can go, on four conditions.”

“Shoot.”

“One, you can’t leave until after New Years. You are going to spend Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Years Eve, and New Years itself with me, Professor Oak, and Gary.”

“Sure, I will! Long as you don’t make me and Gary do one of those duets like you used to do…”

“That’s fine, dear! You are growing older, after all.” Such silly days, she knew, were long gone. “Condition number two: you must keep me updated on what you’re doing! Not every day… but I just want to make sure you’re safe while you’re doing all this aura business.”

A soft smile crossed the boy’s face. “Sure, mom.”

“Three! If you happen across Johanna or Dawn, let me talk to them!”

Here, he snickered. “Mom, don’t you have their house number?”

“Yes, but Johanna said Dawn’s out and about too, so if they’re together it’ll do me good to know Dawn went home some for the holidays. There’s no good mother who doesn’t want her baby home during the holidays!”

Deciding the simple albeit silly request was acceptable, Ash nodded with a chuckle.

“Four: when you get back to Kanto, come see me. That’s all.”

“I can do that!” And, with that matter settled, they were free to enjoy their winter festivities.

 

* * *

 

 

The sun still labored to climb over the horizon, a blurred and flattened buttery yellow blob across an infinite stretch of pale gray-blue melting into the rich abyssal navy of night. The brightest of the stars remained in the sky, ever defiant yet fading in the presence of the sun. Mirroring this, the waters below remained dark, lit only by the eerie distant gleam the jewels of curious young Tentacools and the quick moving light of Chinchou--likely hoping would be passengers might drop their breakfasts off the dock so that it would become theirs.

In this pale ashen blue light, our hero and his beloved starter stood beside Delia, chattering excitedly as the ship began accepting passengers.

“Make sure to call me when you make it!” Delia chided, once again eyeing Ash’s bags and wondering if she’d helped him pack efficiently enough. “And, Sinnoh’s cold, remember, so, do like you did on Mount Silver!”

Ash let out a laugh, somewhere between knowing he’d miss her and bursting with excitement. The energy had to come out somehow. “Right, right. I’ll be fine, Mom, but I’ve got to go now!” Giving her a quick hug and her giving him a quick peck on the forehead, Ash then darted away… Or, tried to. He still had to show his ticket and PokeDex for identification before boarding.

Still, after he got on the ship, before heading to his room, he quickly looked back over the railing.

And, there she was. His mother stood, tall and beautiful but gently smiling for him. He would be heading north of her. That was how he oriented himself, by judging where he was in accordance to home, to her. It was always “going back home”, not just to Pallet Town. She was his launching point, the safe port in a storm.

He hadn’t realized how emotional he’d gotten until the ship lurched, departing from the wooden port. “When I get back, I’ll show you something cool, okay?!” Ash shouted, struggling to be heard over the massively loud horns announcing the beginning of the journey.

Perhaps Delia heard him. Perhaps she just knew her son well enough to know he was making a promise to come home and see her once more. She believed him, as always. So she waved until the ship was out of sight, swallowed up by the haze upon the ocean the glittering waves caused. The sun had risen now, lighting the world, seeming to apologize for the absence of her own son, as if it might serve as a temporary replacement.

Then, she turned and headed home.


End file.
